XSBR: Volume 1
by Zeta The Sixth
Summary: It's RWBY, where I've taken its premise and did... something else with it.
1. By Any Other Name

**So, here we are. Back again. I told myself I wasn't going to do things like this, but what can I say? The break was nice at least. So, here's the skivvy, I don't like RWBY, frankly I kinda hate it. And to be clear I've never thought it was very good. Monty, rest his soul, was a master of battle scenes, but the man had few talents for characters or story. And even from that low point, things have only gotten worse. But here I am now, the epitome of arrogance, thinking that I can do it better.**

**Time to put my money where my mouth is.**

**One last thing, I'm taking a lot of my ideas from Celtic Phoenix on Youtube and his "Fixing RWBY" series, please pay his videos and channel a visit, without him I wouldn't have been inspired to do this. That being said, I don't like all of what he had to say and I will state what I took and what I changed from both the original source material and from his rewrites, but only as they come so that I don't spoil anything for anyone. So, look for that at the end of each chapter. Though, I will be explaining everything I changed and why I changed it in an author's note at the end of this volume.**

**Also feel free to disregard the Prologues (Red, White Yellow, Black) since I will neither use nor reference them.**

**This is XSBR. (Pronounced Saber, like the sword)**

* * *

**By Any Other Name**

_From Dust Till Dawn_, it was a small shop but it was his, the old shopkeep thought. He couldn't really keep up with the big Schnee stores, but he did well enough for himself. He wiped down his glass counter for what felt like the eighth or ninth time, he couldn't quite remember. But with all his other customers gone for the night, save one, there was little else he could think to do with his time.

Speaking of time, he thought as he looked at the clock, it was about time to close. He had better tell-

*_DING*DING*_

He turned his attention back to the front of the store and was about to greet them when he took notice of these new "customers".

For one, there were five of them, and they appeared to be carrying weapons; swords, clubs, and guns.

For another, one of the guns was leveled to his forehead within seconds of them entering.

The lavishly dressed man in the front gave a sly cocky smirk, addressing the old man. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late?" He had dark-green eyes and bright, long, orange hair, with long bangs covering his right eye. His suit consisted of a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes, complemented with a small gray scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a small feather tucked into its red band to finish off the look.

The old man had heard of recent dust break-ins and recognized the man before him.

This was Roman Torchwick.

The shopkeep cowered. "Please," he pleaded, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind. "just take my lien and leave."

The sneer grew as he took the cigar from his mouth and tapped it twice, ashes falling on the freshly cleaned glass counter. "Don't fret, friend. We'll be on our way soon enough. But I'm afraid we'll need more than just your money." Roman motioned to the wall, where several dust dispensers were lined against it. "Take it."

The first grunt kept his weapon trained on the old shopkeep while the others took out clear tubes and helped themselves to the dust. The old man slowly took the lien from the register and handed it over to the still smug looking bowler-hated man as well as his dust crystals from beneath the glass display.

* * *

Ruby Rose flipped to the next page of _Weapons and Wonders_, perhaps it was time her own Crescent Rose got a tune up. The scope featured looked reasonably priced.

She felt a hand on her shoulder roughly turn her around. A bit jarred she blinked at the man who was saying… something she couldn't quite make it out over the music coming from her headphones.

Ruby was fair-skinned young girl with silver eyes and black, neck-length, choppy hair that gradated to dark red at the tips. A cloak was fastened to her shoulders by cross-shaped pins. An emblem in the shape of large silver colored rose brooch was pinned to a wide black belt slung around her hips at an angle, with a pouch. The rest of her ensemble consisted of a black long-sleeved dress with a high collar and red trim on the sleeves, a black waist cincher with red lacing up the front, and a red trim around her skirt. She also had on a pair of thick black stockings and black combat boots with red laces, red trim around the top and red soles.

She eyed him curiously and he motioned to them and she took the hint, letting them fall around her neck, the music still blaring. "Yes?"

"I said 'Hands up!'" He clarified as he stuck the blade in her face.

She looked to the blade then back to him. "Are you robbing me?"

"Yes!" He confirmed, annoyance clear across his face.

"Ah."

* * *

The bowler-hatted man flipped through the lien, not bad for such a small shop. He thought to himself as he began to examine the finely cut crystals. Only to be interrupted as he heard a "HI-YA!" from the back and one of his men was sent flying into the wall next to him.

Roman sighed, putting away his loot in a case before rounding a corner to see what ruckus his goons were dealing with. Only for a blur of black and red to sail past him, just inches from his face, and crash through the bay window of the store. The leader and his underlings looked on as a girl stood up on one of the men, a weapon mechanically unfolding into a scythe. She spun it expertly around her body and ended with the tip of the scythe dug into the concrete, clicking a button as the headphones around her neck silenced.

The bowler-hatted man blinked once, taking another drag from his cigar and tapping it twice. "Okay…" He then looked to his men. "Well? Are you waiting for an invitation?" He asked.

The goons shook off their astonishment and quickly charged her in a group.

Ruby dispatched the first with a kick to the face as she used the scythe to acrobatically hoist herself up. Using the momentum, she dug out the blade and clicked a button on its side, a loud audible bang sounding off and the back-end of the blade was propelled into another goon, sending him careening through the air. The girl quickly followed up, firing again and using the added momentum to slam the back-end of the blade on top of another one's head, slamming him into the pavement.

The last goon leveled his gun and fired, but she was too quick, firing off again and using the added propulsion to dart around the gunfire. Before he could adjust, she closed the distance, knocking him up into the air and following with one last spike by the blade as the man slammed into the street at his employer's feet.

The ginger-haired man sighed, eyeing his splayed-out goons. "Worth every cent, weren't you?" He eyed the girl, then eyed the case he still had, weighing his options he then smiled to her. "Well Red, that was pretty entertaining," He said as he raised his cane. "but, it's time for me to say farewell." He said clicking a button as the cane fired a burst of fire from its tip.

She leveled her own weapon at the ground and fired, flipping over the explosion and readying herself to face the man, only to find he was already halfway up the fire-escape on one of the buildings behind her.

The shopkeep timidly exited the shop, looking to her and she to him. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked. He simply nodded in return and she returned it before setting off after the bowler-hatted man.

Roman cleared the top of the ladder, about to make the jump to the next rooftop when he heard a bang from behind. He turned around to see the girl still after him, her weapon level on him and for the first time tonight his smug look became a dead-eyed frown. "Hey!"

He took off his hat for a moment running his gloved hand though it with his single visible eye closed. "You really want to do this?" he asked.

The girl responded as her weapon folded back out.

He shrugged, putting the hat back on. "Alright then."

She propelled herself forward with a loud bang, but the man merely stepped to the side. She sailed past him but caught herself on the ledge with the blade. She swung herself around and flung herself into the air, attempting to slam it right on top of the ginger. But with a single leap backwards she dug into the roof, quickly recovering as he sent fiery flares in her direction.

She dodged them all as she continued to propel herself around the rood, but went on the offensive, attempting to catch him with her blade on the charge

Roman saw through this, moving just a hair closer to her as she attempted to swing. Catching her with a blow to her stomach that knocked the air out of her and propelled her backwards along the rooftop.

Before the girl could recover, she felt the tip of the cane at her chin and felt it angle it upwards so she was facing the him, Roman's smug look restored. "Not bad kid." He said as he began to push down on the button of his cane. "But not good enough."

A sound like whizzing came from above, and the man jumped back in time as purple streams of energy rained down.

Dust whipped up and the two found themselves in the presence of another. The newcomer was a middle-aged woman with light-blonde hair tied back in a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face. She had eyes of bright green and thin ovular glasses with dangling teal earrings that matched the hanging pendant on her collar. She was dressed in a white long-sleeved, pleated top that has a wide keyhole neckline and gauntlet cuffs that flared in pleats at the wrist. Her lower body was covered by a black high-waisted pencil skirt with bronze buttons and black-brown stockings. She had black boots with bronzed heels, and a cape that was purple inside and black on the outside, cut and stylized to end in flames and arrows, with a row of diamond-shaped bronze beads on the back an emblem of a tiara above it.

The smile evaporated into exasperation. "A huntress, fantastic."

She said nothing but runes and symbols appeared around her as she sent out another volley of violet energy towards him.

The ginger raised his cane and sent off his more of his payload with a grimace. He couldn't keep this up much longer, his cane was almost dry.

He then eyed the girl, still getting to her feet and a wicked idea popped into his head. He quickly reached into his case and pulled out a red crystalized piece of dust, eyeing it with regret before throwing it.

The woman tensed up, ready to counter-attack only to realize it wasn't headed towards her. Her eyes widened as the man leveled his cane on the girl behind her and fired.

The girl had only enough time to hear a "tink" sound about a foot in front of her and watching as an explosion of red and fire suddenly engulf her.

But where she was expecting pain, none came, and she opened her eyes. The woman from before was breathing heavily, and the girl looked around them. The roof was almost entirely charred except for a circle about a foot around themselves. She looked up to the woman who appeared to be looking for the man, but he was gone, and she frowned deeply before turning to her.

"You're a huntress…" She said almost disbelievingly before her astonishment turned to amazement. "That was amazing! _You're _amazing! You saved me! You-"

* * *

"I hope you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly young lady." Came the smooth disciplined voice of Glynda Goodwitch.

Ruby couldn't even raise her head as she looked dejectedly at the table in front of her. This was the woman who saved her, the same woman who might now be ending her future career as a huntress before it even began.

Suffice to say, she had mixed feelings about that.

"You put yourself and others in great danger." Glynda said, continuing her lecture while she circled like a hungry predator.

"They started it!" The girl protested.

The Huntress eyed her for a brief moment, putting hand down on the desk in front the girl. "If it were up to me, I'd send you'd be sent straight home with a strongly worded letter for your parents about what happened tonight." She said, emphasizing herself with a smack of her riding crop, causing a quick yelp from the girl. "But…" she said, taking a step back and clearing the doorway. "There's someone else who'd like a word with you."

The girl's attention shifted as a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair and thin brown eyes walked through the door. He had a light complexion and sharp facial features. His outfit consisted of shaded glass spectacles and a small, purple, cross-shaped pin on the cowl around his neck, an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest, green shirt, black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants to boot.

"Ruby Rose." He said, addressing her by name. The man was holding a scroll, flipping through it, appearing to be disinterestedly skimming through something that Ruby could only imagine was in ation about her.

He looked up and murmured something under his breath but couldn't quite catch it as he addressed her. "Glynda tells me that you're quite the virtuoso with that scythe of yours." He then looked up from the scroll, putting it away. "So, how did that come about, hm?"

Ruby felt something off about this man but answered, somewhat hesitantly. "S-Signal Academy…"

"Ah yes, I see that." The strange man said, as he looked back down to the scroll. "Where your Uncle Qrow Branwen taught." He flicked on his scroll some more. "You have remarkable scores, near the top of your class." He looked back up to her. "He must be very proud of you."

Ruby sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah… he and my Dad taught me everything I know."

"Yes, Taiyang Xiao Long." The man continued. "A somewhat successful huntsmen himself until he retired about a decade back."

Ruby could hear a tone in his voice but couldn't quite catch the inflection. Familiarity? Or was it-

"And your sister, Yang Xiao Long." He said, as her turned the scroll to her, a picture of a beaming a fair-skinned young woman with lilac eyes and bright golden hair worn loose that faded to pale gold at the tips with a cowlick sticking out at the top. "She's quite impressive herself. The very top of her class at Signal. Some say she's the best fighter that school's seen in several decades. She's won the Vale regionals four years running and placed second at the last Vytal international tournament two years ago in Mistral, barely coming second to Mistral's own prodigy Pyrrha Nikos."

Ruby matched the beam of her pictured sister. "Yeah, I was there. She came so close too!" She said raising her arms, before letting them fall slightly dejected. "But Pyrrha was good, like _really_ good. In the end, she tried her best, and she had fun, that's all that mattered."

The man gave a coy little smile as he sat the scroll on the table. "So, you must want to be a huntress then, right?"

She nodded emphatically. "Yes! Yes! I mean I still got two more years at Signal but then I'm going to try and get in to Beacon and become a huntress and help people and-"

She stopped as the man held up a hand. "Do you know who I am?" He asked.

Ruby looked at him quizzically and shook her head.

"I am Professor Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon." He said, introducing himself.

The girl nearly fell over in her chair with astonishment, scarcely steading herself against the desk. "O-O-O-OH! OH! I'm so sorry! I should have recognized- I mean it's an honor-"

The kindly man held up a hand once again. "It's quite alright Ms. Rose. But now onto more important matters. Your sister has been accepted to my school, would you like to be accepted as well?"

Ruby for not the first time in the last two minutes once again felt a wave of shock course through her body. But this time she recovered much quicker. "Oh my gosh! Of course, I would! More than anything!"

Ozpin looked to Glynda who looked from him to her but said nothing, closing her eyes.

"Well then, welcome to my school."

* * *

Ruby looked out the window of the airship. It felt like ages since her talk with the Headmaster and her acceptance, but in truth it had barely been a week.

Telling her Dad, telling her sister and the energy of their combined excitement had left Ruby feeling exhausted. But she was here, far sooner than she had ever expected. She'd be a huntress, just like-

"Ooh! My baby sister is coming to Beacon with me!" Yang said, as she hugged her sibling for what seemed like the hundredth time in an hour. "This is the best day ever!" She said squeezing hard.

Ruby stood stock still as she let Yang once more get it out of her system. Her sister wore her usual outfit of a tan jacket that bared her midriff, with golden brown piping and short, puffy sleeves with black cuffs that featured two gold buttons. Underneath that, was a low-cut yellow crop top with an emblem of a burning heart on the left breast in black. Along with that she also wore a brown belt covered by a pleated brown piece of material reaching from hip to hip around the back of her waist, with the same emblem emblazoned on the right-most pleat in gold. Underneath that was a long, white, asymmetrical piece of material reaching to her knee on the right side, as well as a pair of black mini-shorts. She also wore a pair of brown, knee-high boots and orange over-the-knee socks, with the right sock pushed down just below the knee. A purplish-gray bandanna was tied around her left knee and an orange infinity scarf and black fingerless gloves completed the look.

"Please stop." Ruby said her words sounded winded as she gasped for air through the grip.

Yang let go but hopped on the balls of her feet in front of her little sister. "But I'm so proud of you!"

Ruby just sighed. "Yeah, that's been going around a lot lately."

The elder sister frowned, stepping near. "Hey, hey! What's that attitude about? Aren't you excited?"

"I mean yeah but…" She sighed. "Look I'm two years younger than anyone else here!" Ruby finally said. "I just don't want anyone here to think I got special privilege or anything."

Yang allowed her excited beaming to dial back a bit as she took her sister by one shoulder. "Ruby, when I got into the tourney two years ago and had a spot for Vale's team, even though the rest of the guys were from Beacon and in their last year, did that stop me?" she asked.

"No…" Ruby said quietly before feeling a knuckle come down on her head. "OW!" She said holding her head. "What was that for?!"

"Damn right, 'No'!" I showed them all in the tourney! And then I made it all the way to the top."

"Where you lost to Pyrrha…" Ruby felt another knock on her head, she winced in pain. "OW! Stop that!"

Yang then took her sister, draping her arm over her shoulder. "Look Ruby, no one's expecting anything of you, okay? I mean it's not like we broadcasted how you got here to anybody, right?" Ruby thought about that and nodded. "So fine, if you want to take a seat in the background and graduate just like everyone else here, great. But if people give you crap about you being here, just know, you earned this, you _deserve_ to be here and don't let anyone tell you different, alright?"

The girl looked to her sister and for the first time in the last week, initiated a hug. "Thanks sis. I needed to hear that."

Yang just smiled warmly, running her fingers through Ruby's hair. "No problem."

"Hey is that?"

"IT IS!"

"OH MY GOSH!"

"YANG XIAO LONG!"

The two sisters turned as they saw a group of men and women pointing in their direction and began running towards them. Yang's beaming smile returned. "Well, looks like I'll see ya later Ruby, my adoring public awaits!"

The blond broke the embrace and walked right into the swarm of people as they gathered around her. "People! People! Please! One at a time! There's plenty of Yang to go around!"

Ruby bemusedly watched the crowd wander off and then looked out the window, her eyes lighting up as she saw it in the distance, her new home for the next four years.

Beacon Academy, the greatest school in all of Vale.

Nothing could ruin this for her.

*_HURRRK_*

Ruby's attention was turned to a blonde boy in a tall teenage boy with fair skin and dark-blue eyes. His hair was short and blond, messily layered on his head with the right side of his hair nearing his right eye and the left side swept back. He looked quite toned, having strong muscles in his arms, shoulders and upper chest. He wore a black short-sleeved hoodie with a detached reddish-orange sleeves and a dark brown image of the bunny rabbit Pumpkin Pete trimmed in white with cute black round eyes. Covering his hoodie while also hiding away the Pumpkin Pete bunny rabbit symbol was a white diamond-shaped chestplate cut off above his lower abdomen and placed over his shoulders are a pair of white spaulders with rerebraces set under them. Below that were blue jeans with a white patch placed on the left knee and black sneakers which have "left" and "right" written in black on the respective shoes' soles. He had elbow guards with cords strung through them, and he wears black high tops. He had two belts crisscrossing his waist, both different shades of brown, with a pair of small pouches on them. He wore brown wrist-length gloves with exposed fingertips and small metal plates over the back. A sword was strapped to his left hip in a sheath that seemed to double as a collapsible shield.

He was currently hunched over a trash can, relieving himself of his breakfast.

"Well, so much for that moment." Ruby said, shrugging her shoulders.

* * *

**So, that's that.**

**So as for the changes I switched up the Torchwick fight a bit and made him a bit more credible as a villain in his own right. I also decided to save Cinder for later because I want to.**

**I gave Yang a bit of a boost, making her the Vale version of Pyrrah, and how and why she got to be that way I'll explain later.**

**Also Pyrrah and Yang participated in the last Vytal festival even though they were from none of the major academies, so yeah.**

**I also ironed out some of the dialogue, something I'm sure I'll get more practice in as this goes on.**

**Well, that's it. See ya next chapter.**


	2. New Friends, Old Friends

**I got nothing to say. Please enjoy.**

**New Friends, Old Friends**

"The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities." One of the news feeds informed, showing the same orange-haired man from the dust store robbery. "If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale police department. Back to you, Lisa."

"Thank you, Cyril." The news Anchor known as Lisa Lavender said, her hair and attire matching her namesake to lighter and darker degrees. "In other news, this Saturday's Faunus civil rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once-peaceful organization has now disrupted-"

The broadcast was cut short as the holographic image of Glynda appeared, the automated message sounding through the ship as the hologram began its playback. "Hello, and welcome to Beacon. My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among the privileged few of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task. Now, it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world.

One girl watched with amber eyes, grimacing at the mention of the White Fang, but saying nothing as she walked off.

* * *

Ruby walked off the airship and breathed in deeply. The grounds of Beacon were nothing less than gorgeous and she couldn't wait to-

Wait.

Was that a collapsible staff!?

Oh! Oh! And a flame sword!

And was that a revolving-?!

Ruby snapped herself out of it, shaking her head. No! No. Come on. First day, no time to be distracted by things, got to learn about where to go.

Yang would know!

Wait… Where _was_ Yang?

Ruby felt herself overload with anxiety. What if she couldn't find her? What if she was late for classes? Wait, did she remember to sign up for classes?! Did she have a dorm?! Where was her stuff?! Where was anything?! The questions, unfortunately for Ruby, were enough of a distraction for her that she fell over, landing face-first in luggage.

"What are you doing?!" Came a high-pitched elegant voice of irritation.

Ruby adjusted herself on the ground and looked up, seeing a girl with crossed arms and an expression of massive annoyance. She was a pale skinned young woman with pale blue eyes and long white hair pulled back into an off-center bun tail on the right side and pinned with an icicle-shaped tiara. A crooked scar ran vertically down her left eye and face. She wore a thigh-length strapless dress with a faint color gradation from white to pale blue at the hem. A small piece of black lace sits in the front of her neckline and the hem of the dress was scalloped and stitched to resemble snowflakes, with layers of white tulle under the skirt. Over this was a bell-sleeved bolero with the same color gradation as her dress from shoulder to wrist, lined in red and with a ruffled collar. On the back of the bolero a crest of some faint familiarity. She also was wearing a small apple pendant on a silver chain and thin, rectangular silver earrings. Her boots were white, wedged heeled and higher at the back than the front. They had a small silver decoration across the top of the foot and were lined in red. A thin white sash was tied around her waist with a pouch attached to the back.

"'Sorry'?" She asked. "Do you have any idea of the damage you almost caused?!" She shook her head, looking to the ground. "Why are my things even out here in the public baggage pool anyways?! I told those oafs that these should be taken straight to the main hall!"

Ruby looked to the side, picking up a white briefcase, aside from perhaps a scuff, it didn't appear to be damaged.

"Give me that!" The girl said indignantly, opening up and examining the contents within. "This is dust, mined and purified from the Schnee Quarry."

Ruby looked confused but before she could respond the white haired girl continued, taking her confusion as ignorance. "What are you, brain-dead?" She asked, taking out a vial of reddened powder. "Dust! Fire! Water! Lightning ! Energy!" She said shaking it for emphasis as Ruby stood up and steadied herself. "Are you even listening to me?! Is any of this sinking in?! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Ruby was about to respond when the scattered particles of dust from the shaking flew up her nose, triggering a sneeze and setting off a small explosion which sent the dust vial flying through the air, hitting the ground, and rolling off.

The White-haired girl knocked the soot from the explosion from her clothes, her pitch rising with her frustration. "Unbelievable! This is exactly what I'm talking about!"

Ruby, finally recovering, had the good sense to look ashamed as this stranger in front of her chewed her out. "I'm really, _really_ sorry."

But the pale girl would not have it. "You complete dolt!" She then looked closer and her face went from massive irritation to suspicious outrage. "What are you even doing here?! Aren't you a little young to be going here?!"

Ruby attempted to answer but the stranger continued to rant. "This isn't an ordinary combat school, it's not just sparring and practice, you know. We're here to fight Grimm, so watch where you're going!"

The younger girl had finally had enough. "Hey! I said 'sorry', alright princess?"

"Actually, it's 'heiress'." A voice cut in.

The two turned to its source, a fair-skinned young woman with amber eyes and long, black hair. She was wearing a black buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Underneath that a white, sleeveless, high necked, crop undershirt and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg, emblazoned with the logo of some manufacturer. She also wore black low-heeled boots and full stockings with a color gradation of black to purple at her ankles. An emblem was visible on the outside of both thighs just below her shorts in white. On her left arm is a detached sleeve with a silver cuff around her bicep, and black ribbons are wrapped around both forearms. A small, loose scarf was wrapped around her neck and a gray magnetic backpack is strapped to her back, partially hidden by her hair. A ribbon topped off her head in a large bow. She wore purple eyeshadow in catseye style.

"Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellent in the world." The dark-haired girl clarified as she rubbed the dust vial between her fingers.

Weiss smirked, raising her head, appreciative at the recognition of who she was. "Finally someone gets it!"

"The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners." She finished dryly.

The indignation was back like a flip of the switch. "Wha- How dare-! The nerve of-!" She started but too frustrated to continue she simply reach down, grabbing the vial out of the dark-haired girl's hand and stormed off in a huff.

Ruby chuckled as she watched the heiress leave. There were few things as funny as watching someone with a high opinion of themselves get verbally smacked around. Still, maybe best not to burn bridges too early. "I'm sorry again! I'll make it up to you!" She called out, but Weiss was already out of earshot. She then turned to try and speak to the dark-haired girl only to see that she had also walked off.

Ruby dejectedly looked from one girl walking away to the other and sighed, putting her head in her hands. "So much for first impressions."

She felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hey, you alright?" Ruby looked up and turned around. It was the boy from the ship. "Hi, I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc." He said holding out a hand.

Ruby gave a small smile. "Ruby Rose." She then gave a chuckle. "Hey aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?"

* * *

"All I'm saying is that motion sickness is way more common than you think!" Jaune protested, embarrassment coloring his cheeks a shade similar to tomatoes.

Ruby just giggled. "Sorry, sorry. It's a just a bit funny, that's all."

"Oh, like you were so sophisticated with that explosion?" He shot back.

"Hey that was an accident!" Ruby responded in a huff.

They both chuckled until an awkward silence started to creep up between them. "So…" Ruby started off, as she unhooked her weapon from her side. "I got this thing." She said whipping out Crescent Rose for Jaune to see.

"Whoa!" Jaune exclaimed, his eyes practically jumping out of his head. "Is that a scythe?"

"Yep." Ruby said as she proudly collapsed Crescent Rose into its sniper mode. "And it's also a high-impact sniper rifle."

"That is so cool!" They blonde said, looking over its craftsmanship. "Where'd you get it?"

"I built her, with a little help from my uncle and sister." Ruby said collapsing it the rest of the way and putting it back behind her. "And what are you packing?"

Jaune sheepishly took out his sword and shield. "I got these." He said.

Ruby looked them over, they looked simple but perhaps there was more to them then met the eye. "So, what do they do?"

"Well, the shield I can collapse to carry… and the sword I can use to… stab… or… slice… things…" He finished awkwardly.

Ruby politely smiled. Then again, maybe not, she thought.

"My uh… great grandfather used it in the Great War." Jaune said as he put away his shield and held out the sword. "It's been passed down a couple times, until it got down to me."

She looked the blade over. She had to admit for about an eighty year old blade, it still looked sharp and clean, obviously well taken care of. "Well, I like it. Not many people appreciate the classic sword-shield combo, you know?"

The blonde boy gave a small, grateful, smile. "Yeah, nothing like the classics."

* * *

Jaune and Ruby entered the Orientation Hall, a large hall filled to the brim with Beacon freshmen getting ready for their Headmaster's words.

"Ruby! Ruby! Over here!" The dark-haired girl found her blonde sister, waving to her through the crowd.

"Oh! That's my sister! I got to go. See you after the ceremony!" Ruby said before running off.

"Hey wat!" The blonde boy said before realizing she'd already run off into the crowd. "Perfect, the only person I've talked to since I got here runs off. Nice moves Jaune." He said berating himself as he wandered aimlessly into the crowd.

Yang had her trademark grin as her little sister joined her. "Well, there! How've you been getting along in your first hour of Beacon!"

"Terrible!" Ruby replied. "You ditched me and I exploded!"

Yang held up a hand. "Whoa, whoa! C'mon sis, you know I've got to give the people what they want, and everyone wants a piece."

Ruby sighed. Yang had always been a popular one, even when they were little. But, that popularity went from explosive to nuclear when she won the regional Vale tournaments and placed second in the last Vytal Festival. She a social butterfly to an absolute T, always making friends or fans, usually both.

Still, despite all this, Ruby knew her sister would never forget about her, and how did she know this?

"But I always save the biggest piece of me for you!" She said brining her sister in for another embrace that threatened to choke the life out of her.

"Ahk!" Ruby choked. "Okay, okay! I get it!" She said in quick breaths.

"Now, what's all this about exploding? Did someone have a little mental breakdown?" She asked, a hint of teasing in her tone.

"No! I mean I literally exploded!" Ruby replied. "I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage! Then I sneezed and everything exploded and there was fire and lightning, and I think a little ice. And she wouldn't stop yelling at me and I felt really bad and-"

"You!" Came the shrill voice that cause Ruby to flinch and quickly dart around Yang as Weiss came up from behind. "You're lucky your little blunder blow us off the side of the cliff!"

"Oh wow, you really _did_ explode." Yang said bemusedly.

"It was an accident." She whined to the blonde before looking to Weiss. "It was an accident!" she repeated.

"Look, I'm sure whatever my little sister did, it wasn't anything too bad." Yang said stepping between them.

Weiss turned to her. "Not too bad? She almost destroyed a case full of dust! DO you know how much lien that would-?" She stopped. "Oh, oh wiat, wait, wait, wait. I know you. You're Yang Xiao Long!" She said with clear respect.

Yang gave a simple nod. "Yep, that's me."

"You've won the last four regional Vale tournaments! You were in the finals at the last Vytal festival!" Weiss said.

"Yep, almost took it too." Yang said. "But Pyrrah was just a bit better than me, what can you do?"

Ruby felt a sensation of emotions right now. Gratitude of Yang and her fame. Relief that the Schnee heiress wouldn't chew her out. And perhaps a bit of smug confidence now that the later knew she was related to the former.

"Want an energy bar?" Yang asked as she pulled out a Red Rhino brand energy bar from one of her pockets. "They taste like crap but they're full of nutritional value!"

Weiss straightened up. "N-no thank you." She then pointed at Ruby. "And she's your…?"

"Sister, little." The blonde explained.

Weiss looked from Yang, then to Ruby, sighing and taking out a pamphlet, holding it out for Ruby.

Ruby stepped out from behind her sister. "What's this?" she asked.

"The Schnee Dust company is not responsible for any injuries or damages sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company product. Although not mandatory, the Schnee family highly encourages customers to familiarize themselves with this easy to follow guide to application and practice for use of dust in the field." Weiss said robotically sounding off the Schnee Dust company disclaimer.

Ruby looked at her then to the pamphlet and back. "Uh…"

Weiss stuck it in her hand. "You really want to make up for earlier, you'll learn this by heart and never speak to me again."

"Wow, quite the impression you've made Ruby. It's been like, what, an hour and you've already managed to make an enemy of someone?" Yang questioned and she opened the Red Rhino wrapper and munched on it the bar within.

"Look, we got off on the wrong foot." Ruby started straightening up and holding out her hand. "I'm Ruby Rose."

Weiss just looked at the hand, then to Ruby before looking past her and addressing Yang. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Yang. I hope we can talk again." She said before walking off into the crowd.

"Yeah, see ya." Yang said waving as the White haired girl left.

Ruby looked to her sister with a look of betrayal. "Way to have my back!" She whined.

Yang just gazed down at her sibling, munching her bar. "Hey, she may have been a little stuck up, but it sounded like your brought that business down on yourself."

Ruby was about to reply to that but heard the audible sound of a mic being checked.

All the students quieted down as Ozpin too the centerstage, Glynda by his side.

"I'll keep this brief." He started. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. When you're finished with that most of you plan to dedicate your lives to the protection of the people. But, as I look amongst you, I see wasted energy in need of purpose, direction." He paused as murmurs washed over the crowd before him. "I'm here to give you that purpose, and to point you in that direction. But I can only show you the way, it is up to each of you, to walk it. But be forewarned, the Creatures of Grimm are nothing to scoff at. They will kill you if given the chance. So, if anyone here has any doubts I strongly suggest you cast them aside, or don't bother unpacking and go back to wherever it is you came from, because if you do neither, you will parish." He finished, exiting the stage as Glynda took over.

"You will gather in the main hall of the dorms tonight, tomorrow your initiation begins. You're dismissed." Glynda said curtly.

"That was a bit…" Ruby started.

"'Disturbing'?" Yang asked offering the word.

The younger sibling nodded. "Yeah, that's one word for it."

* * *

Roman opened the door to the hideout he was currently staying at with a slam, an abandoned apartment complex that no one had bothered to mow down yet.

The dust job had been a disaster, and to make matters worse his face was in the news now.

He still had a single briefcase of his loot but considering all the dust he'd been forced to leave behind as well as use with his cane, Melodic Cudgel, it was little better than a wash.

The ginger-haired man walked to the back, unlocking a door and stepping though inside, where a young girl with hair color of half pink and half brown, with white streaks on the pink side, lay in a bed, a nearby desk lamp illuminating the room. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be resting, breathing faintly but steadily.

Roman took off his hat, laying it down on the desk near the lamp and pulling up the nearby chair. The girl opened her eyes revealing a brown and pale-pink eye set, matching her hair.

"Hey Neo, you doing alright?" He asked softly.

Neo simply smiled and nodded.

"That's good, that's good." He said as he reached out for her outstretched hand, holding it gently. "I've got something big planned, and I don't know if I can pull it off by myself. So get well soon alright? I need you."

Neo nodded once more and the two looked through the window to the broken moon.

* * *

The half-moon light filtered through the window as sleeping bags were arranged in rows in the main hall of the dormitories.

Ruby was in her pajamas, a black tank top featuring a heart-shaped beowolf design on the chest and long white pants decorated with pink roses, writing under the dim glow of the lights above.

Yang, dressed in an orange tank top with the firey heart emblem on the front in red, and black boy shorts, fell on the sleeping bag next to her. "It's like a big slumber party!' she beamed.

"Dad wouldn't approve of all the boys here though." Ruby commented.

"Yeah, but I would." The blonde replied as she watched many of the muscular and well-toned men in the room stretch and make themselves ready for bed. She then looked down to the letter Ruby was writing. "What's that?"

"A letter to the gang back at Signal." Ruby replied. "They'd neve forgive me if I didn't tell them what it was like here."

"Snail-mail huh?" Yang asked. "Seems more like something Dad would have us do."

"Hey! Writing letters is way more personal than a simple text or phone call!" Ruby defended.

Yang just gave a shrug. "Yeah, well, tell me in a month or so when they finally get back to you with that newfangled tela-puter thing." She said, imitating an old women and sucking her lips in to emphasize the mockery.

Ruby responded with a pillow to her sister's face.

"Stop making fun of me!" She said pouting. "You're making me all self-conscious about it. And it's bad enough that I'm getting enough of that from being here without any of my friends!"

"What about that Jaune-boy?" Yang asked. "He could count. One friend made."

"And what, Weiss is a negative friend? That brings it back down to zero." She sulked.

"Nope, no negative friends only enemies. Which means one friend and one enemy, that's all." Ruby sighed and Yang took her by the shoulder. "Look, it's only been one day. Trust me you'll be making friends in no time, you've just got to meet them first." Yang assured.

Ruby gave another sigh before aimlessly looking over and seeing the black-haired girl from before, leaning up against the wall and reading a book. She sat up. "That girl…"

Yang looked over at her. "Who?" She asked. "Her?" She said pointing a finger. "You know her?"

"Don't point!" Ruby said pushing her sister's hand down. "She was there when that thing with Weiss happened. She helped me out but left before I could say anything."

Yang slapped her on the back. "Well, now's your chance." She declared, standing up as she pulled her sister up and pushed her towards her. "Go talk to her."

Ruby stopped, nearly tripping over someone else's sleeping bag. "What? Why?"

"You need more friends here! Start making them!" Yang insisted in a loud whisper before she began to walk off.

"And where are you going?!" Ruby replied in an equally loud whisper.

"There's one friend here that I still need to catch up with!" She winked at her. "Good luck!" And with that she tip-toed off across the room.

The little sister steamed, mad that her elder was once again leaving her in the lurch. She then took a deep breath and walked closer.

The dark-haired girl looked up from her book, an unreadable expression on her features.

"Hi… we've met before, and I didn't… introduce… myself…" she squeaked out awkwardly.

The girl blinked. "You're… that girl who exploded… right?" she asked.

"I'm Ruby." She introduced, holding out her hand for a shake.

The dark-haired girl looked at it, then to her. "Okay." She said simply before returning to her reading.

The awkwardness of the moment nearly got to Ruby, but she remembered her sisters words and pressed on. "So, what's your name?"

The girl sighed. "Blake." She answered.

The one-words answers were beginning to deter Ruby, but she didn't give up. "I like your bow, it goes nice with your pajamas." She said observing the black, long-sleeved, yukata-style shirt with white edging over a purple undershirt, and a matching skirt. Along with a black obi wrapped around her waist and tied with a black and white string.

Blake looked up with a raised brow before returning to her book.

"It sure is a nice night, don't you think?" Ruby asked, trying anything to get this girl to talk.

The dark-haired girl sighed. "Yes, it is. Just like this book, that I will continue to read as soon as you leave me be."

There was the opening. "What's it about?" Ruby asked, taking a step closer.

Blake for the first time actually gave a look other than mild annoyance. "What?"

"The book, what's it about?" Ruby repeated.

"It's… about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over the body." Blake said slowly, genuinely surprised at the younger girl's interest.

"I love books." The younger girl replied. "My sister would read my stories about heroes and monsters. They inspired me to try and be a huntress."

Blake actually cracked a small smile. "Oh? Hoping to live 'happily ever after'?"

"I hope we could all have one. I just wanted to be like the heroes from the stories. Help people, protect them, if I can. Fight for what's right, you know?" Ruby replied, feeling some sort of mixture of embarrassment and relief at the small confession. "I mean, that's what my parents used to do."

"'Used to'?" Blake questioned.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, dad retired a while ago after my mom… passed."

"I'm… sorry." The raven-haired girl replied. "I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine." The younger girl replied. "Really. It's fine."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, Blake coughed to relieve the tension, albeit only partially. "So, following in your family's footsteps? Sounds like you thought your parents were the real heroes."

Ruby scratched her face lightly, awkwardly shrugging. "Yeah, guess so. I want to be able to help people as much as they ever did."

The smile on the dark-haired girl faltered. "Helping people, doing what's right, are nice thoughts, but the real world isn't that kind." She replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I hope you don't have to find that out the hard way."

Ruby was about to inquire what she meant when a familiar ivory-haired girl appeared in her faded blue nightgown with short sleeves and white trim and display the Schnee Crest on the upper-right chest, her hair now down. "Do you two mind having this conversation at a time when people aren't trying to sleep?" She asked irritably.

"Hey we weren't bothering anyone!" Ruby said a bit louder than she intended, earning a "SHH" from nearby. "We weren't bothering anyone!" She repeated in a harsh whisper.

The two began to squabble in hushed tones and Blake sighed. This would have to be where she turned in for the night, she supposed as she turned out the light.

* * *

A tall fair-skinned girl with green eyes and long wavy-red hair looked out to the moon. Her evening pajamas consisted only of an orange top and a long black pants, an emblem of a red shield and spear on the front left leg.

"Lost in thought?" Came a familiar voice from behind.

The red head turned around, a smile erupting across her face. "Yang!" She said, minding not to disturb other sleepers as the two ran forward and embraced one another.

"Hey Pyrrha, how you doing?" The broke apart and Yang joined her looking out the window. "Still doing breakfast commercials?" She asked.

Pyrrha giggled. "As opposed to what? Energy bars?"

The both gave a little chuckle at that. "So, Beacon huh?" Yang started. "They must have been pretty sad in Mistral when you didn't pick Haven."

Pyrrha nodded. "Yes, but I just wanted to get out and see more of the world. And as much as I love Mistral there's so much out there to see, to do." She looked to Yang. "Life's too short to spend it in one place."

They allowed a few moments of silence to pass between them before Yang spoke up. "Your family doing alright?"

The red head nodded. "Yes, my mother's quite well. Thank you for asking. And yours?"

Yang gave her trademarked smirk. "Well, Dad's same as he's ever been. But get this, my sister is here!"

Pyrrha raised a brow at that. "Your _little_ sister? Ruby? Who's fifteen?"

The blonde nodded. "Yep, apparently she went and stopped a robbery all by herself. That somehow managed to get back to Ozpin and he was so impressed he let her jump ahead."

"Wow that's fantastic. She must be pretty excited to be here." Pyrrha replied.

Yang just shrugged. "She's got the jitters but she'll get over it."

Pyrrha's expression shifted to concern. "You don't think it'll overwhelm her?"

The blonde gave a grin, looking off to the moon. "She might struggle. But she's stronger than she knows." Yang then turned back to the red-head. "She's gonna be something else Pyrrha, I can feel it in my bones."

"Then maybe I should make sure Ruby's on my team." Pyrrha replied. "After all, why learn from number two when you can learn from number one."

Yang gave a look of genuine shock before it settled back into a bemused grin. "Well, well, well! Is the great and humble Pyrrha Nikos actually trying to get a rise out of me?"

"Looks like I already did." She shot back.

The two giggled once more before clasping together their hands in an intense handshake. "I think this year might just be off to a great start." The red head said.

Yang gave a toothy grin. "Took the words right outta my mouth."

* * *

**So, changes, the news report I decided to put at the beginning of this chapter to front-load it rather than backload my last, the conversations are bit different and Yang and Pyrrha and good friends.**


	3. Initiation

**Chapter 3**

**Initiation**

* * *

Lie Ren had come to expect many things in the past seventeen years of his life.

For instance, how long he would need to prepare before an important day. How much food he should eat to stay energized without being lethargic. How much ammo he should keep on his person for Stormflower, his twin, bladed, submachine guns.

And of course, how Nora was most _definitely _a morning person.

"Wake up lazy buns!" The fair skinned and short orange haired girl sang, her turquoise eyes practically sparkling.

Nora was already dressed in her usual apparel. A collared black vest that ended at her waist. Her signature emblem, a hammer with a lightning bolt, was on the back. Under the vest were two layers of clothing, colored red and light-blue respectively, a turquoise bow at the back of her skirt. She also wore a white sleeveless top that formed a tiny heart shape cut out over her chest, with a white detached sleeve on each arm and matching fingerless gloves on each hand. She sported a short pink skirt that started at the waist and ended at around mid-thigh. Her shoes a mix of pink and white with pink laces, displaying her emblem on their soles. To finish off was armor that began in the middle of the shoulder and neck and ended by the waist.

"It's morning! It's morning! It's morning~!" She continued as she twirled about.

Ren sighed and smiled good naturedly, he had been a bit more proactive as he had slept in the clothes he was going to wear. A dark green, diagonally-buttoned, long-sleeved tailcoat that was red on the inside, with black and gold trimming and pink cuffs. The trimming went down the right side of his torso and formed a black collar. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt beneath the suit and light-tan pants with black shoes. He tied his long black hair into a ponytail, the length making it go midway down his back. A magenta streak on the left side of his hair which matched the color of his eyes.

Nora prattled on and on about this and that, scarcely stopping for a breath while Ren simply went about his usual business, gathering his sleeping mat, brushing his teeth, eating his breakfast.

"I know!" She declared pointing to the ceiling as Ren gathered the last of his belongings from the locker he'd stored them in. "We should have a signal! A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest!" She stepped closer, whispering in his ear. "Can you imitate a sloth?"

"Nora?" Ren said, finally speaking up.

The girl snapped to attention, knowing Ren only spoke when necessary. "Yes, Ren?" she asked, prepared to absorb every word from his mouth.

"I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." He said pointedly.

Nora thought on this for a moment, but a self-satisfied smile grew its way onto her face. "That's why it's perfect! No one will ever suspect we're working together!"

Ren just shook his head slightly, a small smile on his feature at her antics. "Come on Nora, let's go." He said walking out of the locker room, Nora quick on his heels.

Ruby watched the somber man and the bouncing girl leave. "Wonder what's got those two worked up." She asked aloud.

Yang, saw them leave, having heard everything. "Ah, who knows?" She replied coyly as she tightened the last lace of her boots, giving them a stomp to make sure they fit just right. "But you seem to be chipper this morning."

The younger sister nodded. "You bet. No more small talk or 'getting-to-know-you' stuff." She said, pulling our Crescent Rose and caressing it like a newborn. "Today I get to let my baby do the talking!"

The blonde watched her sister hold her weapon with more care then she'd seen her them show their corgi, Zwei, back home and had to stifle a laugh. "Look Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. Meeting new people and learning to work together? That's part of what being a huntress is about."

The dark-haired girl groaned, not wanting to hear more lectures from her sister. "Ugh, you sound like Dad!" She put down Crescent Rose as she fully addressed Yang. "First off, what does meeting new people have to do with fighting? Second, what does it have to do with being a good huntress?"

Yang shook her head, disappointed. "C'mon Ruby, you can't be that dense." She held up her hand in a fist, her index finger flying up. "First, meeting new people and working with them is part of life, huntress or no. Second, it has everything to do with the job. I mean how are you going o be able to make a living if you don't make connections, get to know people in the huntsmen business? And even if you work alone or freelance, there's still so much more to it. How are you gonna line up jobs? Or get information?"

"I'll… I'll figure something out." Ruby said a bit too quietly.

The elder sister went on. "And while you're at Beacon? How are you gonna handle that? You know we'll be put into teams."

"I… don't know I just thought I'd be on your team…" Ruby said, shrugging slightly.

"That's not a guarantee, Ruby." Yang reminded. "And frankly maybe that'd be for the best."

"What do you mean?" The younger sister asked. "Are you saying you don't want to be on the same team as me?"

Yang looked a little guilty, reaching back for her hair and stroking it. "Well…"

Ruby looked hurt. "You don't, do you?"

The blonde continued to stroke, with a little more force than she meant to. "I just thought, maybe, it'd help you break out of your shell a bit."

Ruby grew embarrassed. "I don't need to 'break out of my shell', that's-"

* * *

Weiss watched from around the corner of a locker at the two. Ruby was hopping on her toes trying to match Yang's height, looking somewhere between outraged and embarrassed. Yang meanwhile had her head in her hand, looking exasperated at her sister's behavior.

The heiress had to admit, Yang would make a valuable ally. With her being the top student at Signal, she was no idiot and was probably the strongest physically of anyone going to Beacon, first-year or no.

Still, Weiss had a feeling that teaming up with Yang meant that the little annoyance of a sister would tag along. And from what she had seen so far, that might actually result in a net loss.

Weiss then spotted Pyrrha making last minute preparations with her gear. But then again, she thought, why settle for second-best?

The heiress stepped up to her, drawing the prodigy's attention. "So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to who's team you'd like to be on?" She said, trying to put her best foot forward. "I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known, individual. Such as yourself."

Pyrrha could smell the flattery a mile away but remained polite. "Hmm, I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."

"Well," Weiss said, taking the initiative. "I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together."

Pyrrha though about it for a moment, she'd heard… things about the Schnees. But given her own problems with hearsay, she decided to give Weiss the benefit of the doubt. "That's sounds grand."

"Great!" The heiress could hardly contain her glee. Things were finally starting to fall into place here. She the smartest girl, and Pyrrha the strongest, together they'd be running this place inside a semester. They'd be popular, celebrities even.

Nothing could ruin this for her.

"You know what else is great?" A voice said, derailing Weiss' train of thought. "Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."

Weiss crossed her arms. "Do I know you?"

"Nice to meet you Jaune!" Pyrrha said, giving a little wave.

"Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you too." Jaune said, a glance over his shoulder, before retuning his gaze to Weiss. "No, you don't, but I'd bet you'd like to."

The heiress rolled her eyes. "Yeah when pigs fly." She muttered.

Jaune didn't catch that as he continued. "So, been hearing rumors about teams, I was thinking you and I would make a good one. What do you say?"

Weiss looked like she was about to give something of a scathing reply when Pyrrha spoke up. "Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each so-"

"You don't say." Jaune said looking her up and down before sliding closer. "Well hot-stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team." He said confidently.

Weiss' eyes were practically dinnerplates. She stepped between the two of them, giving him a look of distain. "Jaune, was it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

The clueless boy just gave a confident grin. "No idea, snow angel."

"This is Pyrrha Nikos." Weiss explained as the red-head gave a little wave. "She graduated top of her class at Sanctum."

"Never heard of it." Jaune replied.

"She's won the Mistral regional tournament four times in a row? And also won the Vytal festival two years ago? The youngest to ever do so?" The heiress explained.

The blonde hair boy just gave a shrug.

"Ugh! She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" Weiss said, desperate that _something_ would click.

It did as Jaune gasped, pointing a finger as he remember his own box he'd had earlier this week. "That was _you_? They only do that for star-athletes and cartoon characters!"

Pyrrha sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, it was pretty cool. But the cereal isn't very good for you."

"So," Weiss interjected. "after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?"

The blonde hung his head. "Guess not, sorry."

Weiss gave a smile, satisfied at the boy's humility but Pyrrha surprised her by walking past and putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Actually Jaune, I think being on a team with you could be really fun."

Jaune brightened at that, giving a small wave-off. "Oh, stop it."

Weiss nodded. "Yes, really, _please_ stop it. This kind of behavior shouldn't be encouraged."

But Weiss' words came too late Jaune's ego had made a full recovery. "Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick. But maybe I could pull some stings and find a place for you, what do you say?"

The heiress was just about done with this boy and was really about to let him have it when the hiss of the announcement speaker sounded over-head. "Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation. Again, all first years please report to Beacon Cliff immediately."

Weiss just stepped back. "Oh thank god." She whispered under her breath before quickly turning and walking away and out the door.

Pyrrha stepped past, giving a little wave. "It was nice to meet you."

Jaune sighed, hanging his head as he watched them go. "Likewise." He said to the ground.

The blonde felt a hard shove from behind and fell to the ground. He looked up to see the sneer of a very tall young man with burnt-orange hair that was combed backward with a slight peak at the front and indigo eyes. He wore silver-gray armor with gold trim. His chestplate sported a bird with its wings outstretched. Underneath the armor, was a black shirt with red trimmings and black pants with a red belt tied around his waist. "Watch where you're going lover-boy." He said before walking off.

Jaune was about to pick himself up when he saw a hand extended down to him. He looked up to see Ruby, a kindly smile on her features. "Need some help?"

"Thanks." Jaune said before looking towards the exit where the boy just left. "What's his deal?"

"Cardin Winchester, next head of the Vale Winchesters." Yang replied dryly as she crossed her arms. "He's an ass that think his family name gives him permission to act how he wants and treats others how he pleases." She then gave an upturned smile. "And man did I have fun beating his smug-ass into the ground at the last Vale regionals." She turned to look at her fellow blonde. "He's got a chip on his shoulder, best if you steer clear."

Jaune nodded once, thankful for the advice. Yang then walked towards the exit. "Now c'mon you two. Don't wanna be late for initiation."

* * *

The breeze could be clearly felt as the first-years stood high on the edge of Beacon Cliff. The Emerald Forest lay far below, a dense canopy of leaves and branches hiding the ground from sight.

The students all watched as Ozpin stepped forward a mug in his hand and Glynda by his side. "For years you've trained to become warriors. Today is the day you'll put those skills to the test."

The huntress stepped forward. "I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Allow me to make it perfectly clear. Each of you will be given teammates. _Today_."

Ruby felt her anxiety rise at that. "Your teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon, so it's in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you work well with." Ruby looked to Yang, but her sister was gazing intently at the headmaster. "That being said, the person with whom you make eye contact first will be your team-mate and partner for the next four years."

There were varying degrees of expression ranging from shock to indifference, but the students remained quiet as Ozpin continued. "After you've partnered up, you will need to make your way to the northern end of the forest, as indicated on your scrolls. There will also be opposition between where you land and where you're going, do not hesitate to defend yourself or you will perish."

The headmaster gazed at his students, some seem a bit perturbed by the sentiment, but most seemed confident, not batting an eye. "You will be monitored during the initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. Once you reach your destination you will find a temple with relics there are enough for all of you, presuming you've paired up. Once in hand, simply return here. Be forewarned, cheating will not be tolerated. If any of you attempt to take more than one relic or return here without a partner or attempt to pair up and switch partners after the initial pairing, I will know, and you will no longer be welcome here. One last thing, you are all here to face the creatures of grimm, to fight and drive them back, but you needn't worry about them here. I assure you will only face natural flora and fauna. Now, are there any questions?"

Jaune raised his hand. "Yes, uh sir, how are the grimm being-"

"Good!" Ozpin announced ignoring the boy. "Then take your positions!"

The students crouched down, Jaune watched as the first student launched into the air via a small catapult that each student was currently standing on and he raised his hand higher. "Uh… sir? I have a question."

Ozpin turned in his direction, gazing at him calmly over his glasses. "So, how are we doing this landing thing, is there like a bouncy pad somewhere down there?"

"No, nothing." The headmaster replied curtly.

The blonde watched worriedly as the launchers got closer to him… "What about parachutes? Do we get those?"

Ozpin shook his head. "No, you will be landing using your own landing strategy." He replied dryly.

"Oh, so how do we-EEEEEEEEE!" Jaune exclaimed as he launched into the air.

Ozpin merely took a sip, sighing, this was some good coffee.

* * *

Ruby tried to steady herself in the air, sending out several quick shots with Crescent Rose that slowed her forward momentum before changing it to its scythe form. She caught a branch and swung around, flipping through the air and landing on her feet.

Weiss quickly activated a glyph, using it to soften her landing and lessen her thrust forward as she hopscotched her way to the forest ground.

Ren expertly caught a tree around its trunk, using the momentum to twirl around it and burn off the extra energy, landing on the ground and dusting himself off.

Yang soared through the air, propelling herself across the canopy with Ember Celica, her dual ranged shot gauntlets. She began slowing down before bouncing off a few tree trunks and ending with a somersault off the ground.

Pyrrha used her round-shield, Akoúo̱, like a snowboard, gliding off the canopy of the trees before using her rifle-spear, Miló, to stop herself, swing herself around and land on one of the upper branches. She heard some sort of faint screaming out in the distance and took her spear form the trunk, changing it to its rifle form and looking through the scope for the noise source. She quickly saw Jaune flailing through the air and acted fast, transforming it back to a spear and gauging the distance, air speed, force needed, angle, and…

_SHMM_

Pyrrha hurled her spear and then put a hand to her ear. A few seconds later…

_TOK_

"Thank you!" Jaune called out from far away.

"You're welcome! And sorry!" Pyrrha replied.

* * *

Gotta find Yang. Ruby thought as she sped through the forest.

Gotta find Yang.

Gotta find Yang.

GOTTA FIND… "YANG!" Ruby called out.

What if she didn't find her? What if someone else found her first? Who else could she team up with?

Well, there was always Jaune, she supposed. He was funny, and she liked him. But he might be dead-weight in a fight.

What about Blake? Well, she likes books… and that was about all Ruby knew about her. Not that it was any fault of hers, it's just that conversation with Blake felt like pulling teeth.

What if she couldn't find any of them? Who else did she even know here? There was Yang, Jaune, Blake and…

The dark-haired girl screeched to a halt as she came face to face with the white-haired heiress herself, Weiss Schnee.

The two gazed at one another each with surprised looks before Weiss uttered one word. "Nnnnope!" With that she turned around and walked off.

"Wait!" Ruby said. "Where are you going?!" We're supposed to be teammates…" she finished dejectedly.

Weiss moved past a bush and slapped a vine out of her face. Yes, Ozpin had said no switching teams, and told them they'd be monitored, but she would take literally anyone else, seriously the very next person, anyone but-

She heard struggling from above and gazed up to see Jaune who looked down, waving sheepishly to her. The heiress looked to him before turning on her heel and going back the way she came. Ruby looked up as Weiss walked past her grabbing her by her hood and dragging her by her heels. "By no means does this make us friends."

"You came back!" Ruby exclaimed as she continued to be dragged.

"Wait!" Jaune called out as he watched the leave. "Don't go! Who's going to get me down from here!" he called out.

Jaune?" A voice called out. Jaune looked down to see the half-smile of Pyrrha. "Any open spots on your team?" she asked.

Jaune crossed his arms. "Very funny." He said before giving a small, grateful smile in return.

* * *

"What's the hurry?" Ruby called out as Weiss stomped on ahead.

"I'm not going to slow down just because you can't keep up." The heiress replied without looking back. "I swear if I get a bad grade because-"

_WHOOSH_

Weiss blinked as Ruby suddenly appeared before her. "I'm not slow, see?" She said.

Weiss looked to her and then behind where Ruby had been at least twenty feet back. "When did you-?"

"You don't have to worry about me keeping up." Before Weiss could reply Ruby continued. "Look, just because I don't know how to deal with people doesn't mean I don't know how to fight." Ruby got close, holding the heiress' far shoulder and pulling her close. "You're gonna see a whole different side of me today." Weiss crossed her arms skeptically. "You're gonna be all like 'Wow, that Ruby girl is really, really… cool.' 'And I want to be her friend.' Ruby said saying the last part under her breath.

"What was that last bit?" The heiress asked.

"Anyways, let's go!" Ruby said before speeding off into the underbrush.

Weiss watched her go. This speed of hers must be part of or is her semblance. "You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!" She called out. Ruby didn't call back. "Ruby! Hey Ruby!" She heard a growling from behind her, and several pairs of glowing eyes.

* * *

Yang sighed as she walked through the forest. She'd already been out here for fifteen minutes and had yet to see another person.

Perhaps propelling herself so far ahead wasn't the best idea after all.

But then again, they were all headed to the temple and there was an even number of people. It stood to reason that she'd meet up with _someone_ sooner or later.

Maybe even team up with Ruby… but was that for the best?

On one hand, sure it'd be fine. If they were on the same team Yang would be in a far better position to help out her little sis. Keep her on track, make sure she did well in school.

But on the other hand, that was the con. Ruby was always a bit introverted and maybe hovering around her so much wasn't the best thing Yang could do for her. After all, if Ruby didn't feel the need to try and reach out, the blonde knew it wasn't likely to happen.

What to do? What to do?

Yang's thoughts were interrupted as she heard rustling from nearby. "Hey! Is someone there?!" She called out.

Her answer came in the form of two grizzlies, each roaring at her. "Oh boy…"

The first came charging at her, swiping at her with its claw but Yang rolled out of the way. The second did the same, this time the blonde gave a swift uppercut and followed it up with a kick, using her gauntlets to propel herself and give her blows extra oomph.

The first came at her again, attempting to get her with its blows but Yang merely back-flipped out of reach, laughing. "Ha! You two need to be faster than that if you wanna-" Her mind went blank as she noticed a small strand of her locks float silently to the ground in front of her.

The blonde clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "No one…" She began as her hair glowed golden and her eyes flared to red. "But no one…" She got into a charging stance. "MESSES WITH THE DO'!"

The grizzlies looked to one another and began to back away, but Yang closed the distance between her and the first one in a heartbeat. She gave it a gut punch and followed it up with a combo of blows, mixing in point-blank shots from her gauntlet and taking the animal into the air before finishing it off with a devastating blow that sent it straight through several tree trunks, her fire-type dust scorching the ground around her as she landed.

The second charged right up to her, standing on its hind legs and roaring at her.

Yang stood her ground, looking it right in the eye. "Yeah?! You want some too?!" She asked.

The bear looked like it was about to answer her challenge when it's face went blank, and it keeled over, dead.

The blonde was met with the sight of Blake, retrieving the blade of her Gambol Shroud, a variant ballistic chain-scythe and giving a small satisfied smile.

Yang took a deep breath, her eyes returning to their usual lilac. She looked at Blake then the bear and back. "I could 'a taken him."

* * *

**And so the forest arc begins.**


	4. The Emerald Forest

**Chapter 4**

* * *

**The Emerald Forest**

The wolves circled around Weiss as she took out her multi-action dust rapier, Myrtenaster, and assumed her battle stance. Head up, shoulders back, right foot forward, but not _too_ forward, she thought as she adjusted herself. She took a breath, slowing her breathing, setting her dust and… now!

She charged with a single thrust at the first wolf, only to have Ruby appear in front of it, slashing down sending the wolf back with a howl. Weiss' barely managed to stop her forward momentum as she dug her foot into the ground. Her saber unfortunately still released its payload as a fire-dust rocketed out of the tip, now pointing to the ground, and set a nearby tree in flames.

Ruby looked back to Weiss for a moment only for another wolf to seize the moment, tackling her and knocking her backwards into the heiress who was busy trying to regain her balance. "Watch it!" The younger girl snapped.

"_You_ need to watch it." Weiss shot back. "I almost attacked you by mistake!" The two got back to back, readying their weapons as the wolves continued to circle. "I mean there's dozens of targets to choose from and you have to hit the one I was going to?!" She continued.

Ruby felt her cheeks line up with a tinge of pink. "I-"

But before she could say anything more, a tree fell down, its wood and leaves on fire.

The two girls' as well as the wolves' attention was all drawn to the fire that was now beginning to rip its way across the grass and through the trees.

Weiss took Ruby's hand. "We have to go, _now_!" She said as the two fled.

The wolves behind them gave no chase as they began to howl and scatter.

Once the two were far enough away, a pillar of smoke now rising from the canopy, the younger girl looked to Weiss. "What was that?!" She asked. "Those were just wolves! Not even grimm, just wolves! That should have been easy!"

The heiress crossed her arms. "Perhaps had you shown even the _slightest_ amount of caution with your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on fire!" She shouted.

Ruby was taken aback by this. "How's it my fault you couldn't see where you were going?!"

The ivory haired girl shook her head. "You know, for someone who simply refuses to be quiet, I'm really surprised how little you'd communicate when it actually mattered!"

The younger girl crossed her arms, scowling. "Well, I'm sorry that you need my help to win a fight against wolves! I could've taken care of that on my own! You should have just backed off and let me take care of it"

Weiss just closed her eyes and shook her head. "Wow, you absolute child." She said before walking away.

Ruby watched as she walked away. The nerve of this girl just made her so… so…! She took out Crescent Rose and stuck a tree in anger, cleanly slicing through it before stomping off after her partner.

* * *

Blake could hardly believe her misfortune.

She knew that when she'd entered this academy that there was a chance she wouldn't like whomever she was paired off with.

But _Holy Hell_… this girl would not stop _talking_.

What was she even prattling on about?

Black stopped tuning out the blonde just as she finished another sentence. "…Anyways, the guy totally had to go to a hospital, and he had no less than four, count 'em, _four_ broken bones. But the funny thing was? He still wanted a second date after-"

"Yang, was it?" The raven-haired girl spoke up.

"Yes siree, that's me." Yang replied almost in a sing-song sort of way.

"Maybe we should just focus on getting to the temple." Blake suggested.

The blonde put her hands behind her head. "Relax, black-bow," Blake slightly winced at that, but Yang didn't notice as she went on. "We're making great time, all we need to do is head north a little ways longer and-" She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and was staring ahead, not saying a word.

Blake followed her line of sight and saw a baby baboon.

The little creature seemed to be hurt, making small sniffing and mewling sounds.

"Oh, poor little guy. He must have fell down from the trees." The blonde stepped forward, getting closer.

Blake could hear nearby rustling from the trees but when she turned to look above and around, nothing. There was something here. "Yang, wait, don't get near him."

Yang turned back to her. "But look at him! He's hurt, we got to do something!" Blake heard more rustling now, but the blonde was too overcome by her empathy to pay more attention to anything but the crying infant animal before her.

The baby noticed Yang now, looking at her with some strange combination of fear and curiosity. The soft mewling became softer, but the rustling around them became louder and more frequent.

"Hey there little guy," Yang said as she reached out.

"YANG! DON'T!" Blake called out, as she moved to stop Yang.

But the warning came too late.

"Need some-" She was just about to touch the baby animal when she heard heavy breathing coming from above her. Yang's eyes followed the tree trunk up, and saw the barely-contained rage filled face of what the blonde could only assume was the mother. "-help?"

Blake had been running towards Yang but was now stock-still as she looked around with her eyes. The lower branches of the tress were teaming with baboons now. All of them with their eyes trained on the two of them and the baby. "Yang…" Blake whispered. "Listen very closely. Back up slowly, don't look away and make no sudden movements."

Yang retracted her hand and did as she was told.

She took one step back and the many eyes followed her.

And another.

And another.

And ano-

_SNAP_ went the branch that Yang had unfortunately stepped on.

The color drained from the blonde's hair in an instant. "Oh crap."

* * *

Explosions and gunfire sounded in the distance and Jaune turned his head towards them. "Did you hear that?" he asked Pyrrha as the two walked along.

The red head stopped. "It seems some of our comrades have run into some trouble." She noted as she pushed back a branch and then let go as she passed knocking Jaune in the face as he tried to follow.

"Ow!" He said falling to the ground and rubbing the sore spot on his cheek.

Pyrrha turned around with a bit of a start. "Oh! Sorry!" She quickly said.

Jaune waved it off with a smile. "It's okay, just a scratch." He said picking himself up.

The red head looked puzzled. "You know it's a bit dangerous out here Jaune, you should really keep up your aura."

The blonde looked completely lost. "Sorry, my what now?"

"Your aura." She repeated. Jaune's features didn't shift in even a remote sense of familiarity with the word. "You do know what aura is, right?"

Jaune quickly dropped his shoulder nonchalantly. "Of course, of course. I just… uh… trained without it."

Pyrrha looked at him, her face twisting into confusion and skepticism. "Sorry… did you say you trained _without_ it?"

"Uh yeah, my teacher said it wasn't good to rely on." He replied.

"That's… very unusual. Huntsman and huntresses usually learn the basics of aura in primary combat school." The red head replied.

"Oh, well I was… homeschooled." The blonde quickly followed up. "But hey, as long as we're on the subject, why don't you tell me about it anyway."

"Aura… it's the expression of our very souls, Jaune." She said, as she demonstrated and a small thin forcefield projected itself around her. "It protects us, strengths us, heals us, gives us the power to fight back."

"Fight back against what?" Jaune asked.

"You already know." Pyrrha replied. "The grimm. As huntsman and huntresses we are all that stands between regular people and them. So, we use aura to fight, souls against the soulless."

She reached out to Jaune, nearly touching his face but the blonde took a step back before she made contact. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Let me unlock your aura Jaune." She said. "You'll have need of it, I'm sure."

Jaune hesitated before dropping his hands and stepping forward, allowing Pyrrha to touch him.

"Will… will it hurt?"

She gave a reassuring smile. "Just close your eyes and concentrate."

The blonde did as he was told and for a few moments there was nothing. But then, suddenly, he felt a warmness rise in him, rush over him, an almost comforting feeling. Jaune opened his eyes and his form was glowing faintly. "This… this feels=" He stopped as he noticed Pyrrha looking winded as she bent over. "Hey, are you okay?"

Pyrrha nodded, standing straight. "I'm fine. I used my aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own." She smiled as she saw the faint scratch on his cheek fade instantaneously. "You have quite a bit of it."

Jaune looked from her to his glowing palms in awe.

* * *

Ren walked through a meadow, it had already been a while since he and the others had been launched from the cliffside and he had yet to meet any other student.

He mused weather or not Nora herself had found someone else. Perhaps it'd be good for them to both branch out a little, I mean it's not like they had to be together every waking moment was it?

Ren stopped in the middle of a field as he heard a low hiss. He activated his semblance and waited. The hissing stopped and Ren watched as a King Taijitsu, a large serpent of a grimm, rose, its white head and gave another hiss. It turned its way this way and that, obviously looking for something.

What was a grimm doing here? Ren thought. Hadn't Professor Ozpin said that there wasn't going to be any here? The gargantuan serpent then flailed wildly about and Ren turned off his semblance, switching into battle mode as his aura flared and Stormflower shot from his sleeves.

The great serpent attacked, attempting to bite at the young man but Ren jumped high into the air, landing on its head before sliding down its back. The grimm coiled and spasmed as it attempted to shake him off.

Ren jumped off and fired shots near its face but couldn't quite hit the eyes as it quickly maneuvered around him. As it struck outwards at him again, Ren dodged and sliced at it with the blades of his weapon. They left wounds but shallow ones.

As the black head recoiled Ren heard anther hiss from behind and rolled out of the way as a white head now with its counterpart looked down on him.

Two heads, fantastic. He thought as the two heads now joined together in an attempt to snare him. Ren was fast and acrobatic, but it wasn't enough as the black head snapped at him and he dodged only for the white head to anticipate and bare its fangs at him. He was pushed against a tree as he held the creature back by only its front two fangs, staring down a deep dark gullet of the grimm.

"Gruuu-ah! Gruuu-ah!" All three heads turned to see as Nora came into the meadow form the forest, riding a grizzly and holding Magnhild, her warhammer-grenade launcher, held up high as she charged.

Ren used the monetary distraction to his advantage, snapping a fang off in one quick motion and rolling out of the way before expertly throwing it into the eye of the other head.

The King Taijutsu reeled and flailed. "Nora! Now!" he called out.

The girl nodded as she jumped off the bear, propelled herself towards the creature with a blast and smashed her hammer into the side of its face, sending the fang into the black head and shooting out the other eye.

Nora and Ren gave each other a thumbs up before the white head, minus one fang raised itself back up and hissed at the loss of its other half and its missing fang. Nora ran and leaped back onto her mount. "C'mon!"

The dark-haired young man gave a nod and joined her on the beast behind her and she dug her heels into its side, causing the poor creature to run off into the forest.

Once they were a bit of a distance away. Ren finally spoke up. "Hey Nora."

"Yeah, Ren?"

"I… don't think sloths make that kind of noise." He finally said.

She just gave a toothy grin at him as they continued to ride off deeper into the wood.

* * *

Glynda watched the two ridding the grizzly with some disappointment on her face. "it looks like the last of the teams has formed, sir. Nora Valerie and Lie Ren. I'm still not sure why you paired the two of them up though." She said as she flipped though her scroll, watching the other teams. "Even less with miss Nikos, and this 'Jaune Arc'." She said as she watched the blonde and the red-head navigate their surroundings. "For someone with such an impressive transcript, he doesn't seem to be ready for this level of combat."

Ozpin took another sip as he watched his own scroll. "Perhaps. Do you doubt my decision?"

The blond huntress just sighed. "I know you personally review every person that comes though here, but still sir, perhaps a few team trades wouldn't be-"

"If I didn't want certain people together Glynda, they wouldn't be together." He said cutting her off. "What concerns me more is that King Tijutsu in the forest."

"Yes, that was… very strange. I thought the power of the ruins would repel them." Glynda replied a look of concern on her features.

"It should, and that's what worries me." Ozpin noted as he finally switched over to Ruby and Weiss' camera.

* * *

Ruby looked at her scroll, hitting it a few times. The damned thing seemed to be saying that the temple was all over the place a few miles north a few east and even back to where they started. "Something's screwy with my scroll."

"You probably just fell on it and broke it when you landed. Weiss said dismissively.

"Well fine then smarty-pants. What's yours say about where we should go?" Ruby asked, her arms crossed.

Weiss rolled her eyes before takin out her own scroll and after a few minutes a bored expression becoming a concerned and confused one. "What? What's wrong with this thing?"

"HA! So much for your little theory. What do you suggest now?" Ruby asked smugly.

The ivory haired girl ignored her, looking to the sun for a moment before walking off in a new direction. "This way."

The younger girl looked genuinely surprised. "What?! How-?"

"Rises in the east, sets in the west." Weiss called out without looking back. "We just need to head north and we'll find our way."

Ruby wanted to retort to that. Unfortunately, there was little she could say so she grumbled under her breath about how she could have done that before following along.

"Don't sulk, Ruby." The heiress said as she led and Ruby begrudgingly followed along. "If you're going to try and pretend to be an adult, you could at least put up a better act."

That's it.

"What is your problem with me?!" The younger girl asked.

Weiss stopped turned around and looked her dead in the eyes. "My problem is that you're a child, Ruby. Ever since I've met you you've done nothing but inconvenience me or proven that point further. Usually both."

Ruby felt her cheeks light up at that. "Oh, like you're so perfect! All you've done to me since we've met is look down on me and try and boss me around like the entitled little heiress you are!"

Weiss' calm demeanor finally broke as she got up in Ruby's face. "I am _not_ entitled. I've worked _hard_ for the things in my life that I'm good at. Fighting, or schooling or anything else. Why are you here, Ruby? Nepotism? Riding on your sister's coattails?"

"Yang had nothing to do with me being here!" She exploded. "I got here because I stopped a robbery!"

"'Right place, right time', huh?" Weiss asked skeptically before shaking her head. "Forget it, let's just get these stupid relics and get this over with." She said before walking off.

Ruby watched her walk off deeper into the underbrush but stamped her feet. "Hey! We're not done yet!" She said before stomping off after her finding Weiss with her back turned and staying perfectly still at the edge of a clearing. "Hey! Hey! I'm talking to you!"

The heiress did not turn around.

"Oh, so now you're ignoring me?! What gives you the right to-!"

"Ruby, be quiet now!" Weiss hissed in a low whisper.

"What are you…" Ruby trailed off as she followed Weiss's line of sight. Sitting up in a large dead tree was a Nevemore, a large black bird grimm as big as a bullhead. "Is that…?"

"A grimm, a Nevermore." Weiss confirmed.

"What's it doing here?" Ruby asked. "Didn't Professor Ozpin say that grimm weren't going to be in the forest?"

"It seems he was wrong." Weiss observed.

"What should we do?" She asked.

Weiss looked around the edge of the clearing. "I think if we can skirt around the edge we can sneak by it without…" She stopped, a curious look on her face.

The younger girl raised a brow. "What is it?"

Weiss held up a single finger. "Quiet… listen…"

Ruby silenced herself and for a moment she heard nothing but then…

A low rumble sounded from behind them, along with what sounded like trees violently shaking in the distance and was that… howling?

The two peered deep into the forest behind them and their eyes widened as they saw a stampede by ground and by tree of baboons.

"What the hell?!" The heiress exclaimed as she took a step backwards into the clearing. Ruby just grabbed her by the hand and led her towards the Nevermore. "Wa-Wait! Where are you taking me?!"

"You've gotta trust me! I got an idea!"

* * *

Jaune and Pyrrha continued to walk until they saw two boys standing outside a cave in the distance. Jaune instantly recognized Cardin and the other boy with a light-green mohawk. The boy wore a hoodie with the sleeves cut off, and two bracers on his arms extending from the wrist to just below the elbow. These bracers have a silver-colored bird emblem printed on them. Beneath the hoodie, he wore a pale-green, long-sleeved shirt abd a brown strap around his chest holding a spiked spaulder to his left shoulder. He also wore dark-gray pants with his boots seem to be made of a thick brown material and going up to his knees.

As the two approached Cardin whirled on them while the other boy just stared on. Well, looky who it is, Jaune wasn't it?"

The blonde furrowed his brows. "Cardin." He seethed.

Pyrrha looked to Jaune for a moment before turning her attention to Cardin. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"We were-" The other boy started only to be silenced with a glare from Cardin.

"We were just thinking that we found a shortcut to the relic temple." Cardin answered with a sneer.

"'Shortcut'?" Pyrrha questioned. "That seems a little doubtful."

Really? How ya figure?" The arrogant boy replied. "We have to head north to the temple and north is that way." He said pointing into the dark passage.

"So then, why haven't you gone in already?" Jaune asked.

"We got a couple of buddies who are catching up, we're just waiting on them." He replied. "But hey, don't let me stop you, go right on ahead."

The blonde looked to the orange haired boy then to the cave. "Nah, we'll just walk around. C'mon Pyrrha." He finally said as he began to walk away, Pyrrha in tow.

Cardin gave a wicked grin. "What, you scared?"

Jaune whirled around on him and Pyrrha face grew concerned. "No! I just think-"

"Hey man, it's cool, it's cool. I understand." The orange haired boy continued. "You don't have to make excuses for me or the lady, if you're too scared just say so."

Jaune's face was growing bright red. "I am not!" He said stepping right up to Cardin.

"Yeah? _Prove it_." The buffer boy replied, pointing into the cave.

Jaune stomped right on by and Pyrrha quickly ran after him. "Jaune! Wait!" She said as she went after him into the cave.

The two watched them until they were out of sight. "Nice work Cardin." The other boy said.

"I know." He replied. "Now we just gotta wait and see if its safe to go in."

So they waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Cardin's face twisted from annoyance and impatience. "They must have gotten lost in there or something." He turned to his companion. "C'mon Russel, let's go."

The two had just rounded about the cave when they heard something from behind.

What they did not expect to see was a Orange-haired girl ridding bearback on a grizzly while a King Taijitsu chased them.

"What the hell?" Russel exclaimed.

"Run!" Cardin barked as the two started sprinting through the forest, a bear and a giant snake right behind them.

* * *

Pyrrha walked behind Jaune looking warily to him. "Jaune, you can't let what that Cardin fellow wind you up like that. You got nothing to prove to him, or to me."

Jaune finally sighed he turned around, the torch he had put together to light their path illuminating their features. "I know that. But look, even if he didn't do that, this cave might be where we're supposed to be."

The red head looked puzzled. "A dark cave? Wouldn't it be hard to find the relics in here?" She questioned.

Jaune felt a red tinge wash over his face. "Okay… well… maybe he was right then. Maybe this _is_ a shortcut and he didn't even know it."

"Or we could end up just wasting time in here." She reminded.

Jaune frowned. "Don't be so pessimistic." He said turning around. "Got to look on the bright siiiddeee-!" He finished as he tripped over a rock in the dark and the torch went out leaving the two of them in darkness.

Pyrrha felt around for Jaune, finding his arm and pulling him up. "Thanks." he said.

"You're welcome." The redhead replied. "But now what?"

"Well I could light another torch or…" their gazes were drawn to something glowing around the corner. "Or we could go see what that is."

The two walked around and saw what appeared to be a large oddly-shaped glowing bulb hovering before them. "This must be it!" he said, reaching out for it, only for it to move just out of his reach. "Hey!" he said as he reached out again only for it to move again. "Stay still!" He reached out this time with both hands and jumped. "Gotcha!"

The two heard a chittering sound and Pyrrha's face slowly twisted into fear with realization. "Jaune…?"

Eight eyes glowed in the darkness as the creature before them hissed.

* * *

_Sometime earlier…_

Yang and Blake huffed heavily as the baboons charged on though the forest. The blonde looked out from their hiding spot and gave a sigh. "Okay, *huff* okay *huff*, I think we lost them."

Blake took a deep breath and sighed walking on. Yang had the good grace to feel embarrassed about what she did and decided to follow her partner from a few feet behind.

After a bit more trudging through the forest the two arrived on a hill overlooking some ruins in a clearing. "Think this is it?" Yang asked.

Blake didn't respond, simply making her way down to them while Yang followed silently along.

Within the open-air ruins were the relics all on pedestals arranged in a semicircle to the north. "Chess pieces?" Blake said, speaking for the first time in nearly half an hour.

"Some are missing." Yang observed, looking to the empty pedestals. "Guess we weren't the first ones here."

"Well, I suppose we should pick one." The dark-haired girl said, after a moment.

Yang walked up to the golden knight and gave her signature grin. "How about a cute little pony?"

Blake rolled her eyes but couldn't help but crack a small little smile. "Sure." She said as she and Yang walked towards one another.

The blonde tossed the piece playfully in a single hand caching it as she went. "That wasn't too hard."

Blake shrugged. "Not like this place was that hard to find."

"You know, monkeys aside, this wasn't too bad" Yang said cheerily. "But then again, I suppose it is just initiation, right? I mean, what's the worst thing you could run into out here?"

The sounds of trampling, roaring, screeching and smashing of trees sounded in the distance. "I think we're about to find out." Blake replied.

* * *

**Done. Reviews appreciated.**


	5. Huntsmen

**So I've decided that Instead of putting the minor changes here and there at the end of each chapter I'm going to, in the last chapter of this thing simply lay out all the things in one big go, so look forward to that.**

* * *

**Huntsmen**

"THIS IS ABSOLUTLY INSANE!" Weiss shrieked.

"WE'RE FINE!" Ruby yelled back. "LOOK! I THINK I CAN SEE THE TEMPLE!"

The wind whipped and churned something fierce around the two girls as they held tight to the Nevermore. The black, angry, avian grimm squawked loudly in protest as they continued to hold on, pulling at its feathers.

"AND HOW IN REMNANT'S NAME DO YOU THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO LAND THIS THING?!" The Heiress asked over the wind.

"WE JUST JUMP OFF!" The younger girl replied.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Weiss screeched. "AT THIS SPEED WE COULD END UP SPLATTERING AGAINST THE SIDE OF A TREE OR WORSE! WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET THIS THING TO LAND!"

No response.

Weiss looked up only to see Ruby wasn't there anymore, instead the younger girl was already plummeting to the ground. "OH YOU LITTLE-!"

Ruby flailed wildly as she fell, this wasn't a controlled fall like before she was straight plummeting to the ground. Still, if she could just reach Crescent Rose, maybe she could… wait… what was that sound.

"-aaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

_WHAM_

Ruby felt the wind knocked out of her as Jaune came flying into her, sending them into a nearby tree. The young girl was seeing stars but quickly shook it off as her view came into focus and she was face to face with Jaune hanging upside down near her.

Blake and Yang watched with bewildered expressions. "Was that Ruby?' Blake asked.

"YEEEEE-HAAWW!"

The two then turned their attention to the forest as a grizzly game out running ragged, taking only a dozen or so more steps after the tree line before falling over.

Nora slipped off its back and poked at it with her warhammer. "Aww, he's all tuckered out."

Ren slipped off slowly before falling to the ground. "Nora…" he said through heaving breaths. "Please, don't *huff*… ever do that *huff*… again." He then looked up only to see Nora nowhere in sight.

The ditzy girl had already run over to the small temple, eyeing the rook piece with fascination. She picked it up, joyously singing. "I'm queen of the castle~! I'm queen of the castle~!"

"NORA!"

The orange-haired girl stuck her tongue out and gave a playful salute. "Coming, Ren!"

Yang pointed towards the two as Cardin and Russel came out, huffing and puffing themselves as bent over in exhaustion. "Did that girl just ride in on a bear?"

Blake was about to offer her input when yet _another _burst came from the forest as Pyrrha ran out like the wind and a giant scorpion grimm came after her, knocking down trees like dominoes. "And did she just run all the way here with a Deathstalker on her tail?"

"So much for grimm not being in the forest." Yang said as they watched Pyrrha continue to outrun the grimm.

Cardin finally caught his breath and walked past the others, grabbing his bishop piece. "Piece of cake." He said as Ruby leapt down from her tree.

Yang face lit up at the sight of her sister. "Ruby!" she said.

"Yang!" The younger girl replied as she went in for a hug.

"Nora!" The orange hair said as she popped up between their embrace.

"RUBY!" Came shrieking from above causing everyone to look up. They all saw Weiss barely hanging from the talon of a Nevermore. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

The others looked to Ruby who just shrugged. "What? I told her to let go."

"She's gonna fall." Blake said.

"She'll be fine." Ruby assured.

"And she's falling." Ren finished as they saw the heiress hurl through the air.

Jaune finally righted himself and spotted the falling Weiss. This was his chance! He got a running start and jumped for the heiress.

Unfortunately for him, his timing was off as he jumped a hair too early, casing him not to catch the girl from her fall but cushion it as she landed on top of him. Weiss looked to him. "Thanks…"

The blonde boy gave a weak thumbs up. "No problem." He wheezed out.

Cardin chucked at this as the Deathstalker knocked Pyrrha away with one of its pincers, landing her in front of the others. The blonde girl clasped her hands together. "Welp, at least we all get to die together."

Ruby just gave a cocky grin. "Not if I can help it!" She said, charging off at the Deathstalker.

"Ruby! Wait!" Yang called after her.

The young girl tried to go after its body but the Deathstalker just knocked her away. Ruby retaliated by firing a few rounds into it but the bullets ricocheted off it hard carapace. Realizing the error of rash action Ruby beat a hasty retreat but hear a screech overhead as the Nevermore spotted her.

The great bird rained down feathers that shot out like javelins, one of them hitting Ruby's cloak and pinning her to the ground. Yang, who had already begun trying to reach her sister was halted as the feathers landed around her and pinned her in.

The Deathstalker easily caught up with her now, raising its large golden stinger to strike. The young girl's closed her eyes in anticipation of attack while her sister's widened with fear "RUBY!" She called out as a white blur rushed past her.

Ruby waited for the impact of the sticker against her, but none came. Her breath felt chilled and she slowly opened her eyes to the admonishing gaze of Weiss, standing in front of the Deathstalker, its tail now incased in ice. "Look Ruby, there's a lot of things I don't like about you. You're quick to act and slow to think. You're hyperactive and impulsive." Ruby looked to her as the heiress sighed. "But, I've been little better. I know I can be… difficult. But we're partners now, so we have to work together, and that means making sure you don't die."

"I… thanks." The younger girl said getting to her feet. The ivory hair girl gave a single nod before walking back to the group.

Yang snapped the feathers making her cage and ran off towards Ruby as she watched the Deathstalker struggle. Her sister embraced her with a worried look. "I'm so happy you're okay." She thyen knocked Ruby with a punch to her noggin. "Don't you _ever_ do something like that again!"

"Ow!" Ruby said as the two joined the others.

Jaune looked up, pointing at the Nevermore. "Guys? That thing's circling back for us."

"Then we better get going." Pyrrha said dusting herself off.

"I agree." Weiss said nodding. "Our objective here is to obtain an artifact, not fight grimm which shouldn't even be here."

Ruby and Jaune walked up, each picking their own artifacts and pocketing them.

Just then another rubble came from the forest and the King Taijitsu came bursting forth as the Deathstalker freed itself.

"That thing's still after us?!" Cardin said disbelievingly.

Pyrrha saw more ruins in the distance. "Everyone! Make for the ruins! We'll have a better chance there!"

The group made for the ruins, which were laid in straight lines with a temple-like structure in the middle beyond which lay a huge gorge and huge temple-like ruins poking out from beneath mists and a cliff on the other side.

The Nevermore cawed overhead, circling around them before landing on one the towers of the temple-ruin poking through the mists. The groups split up with Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang hiding under ruins on one side and everyone else on the other. The King Tijutsu and Deathstalker burst through the woods behind them and forced the groups towards the cliff.

"We need a plan, now!" barked Cardin.

Yang was about to say something but Weiss spoke up first. "We need to prioritize! Cardin! You and your friend distract the King Tijutsu, while Pyrrha and Yang finish it off! Everyone else use your ranged attacks to keep the Nevermore and Deathstalker at bay!"

The two men nodded but Yang called out. "Wait! That's not going to be enough! The Deathstalker's body won't be pierced with normal ranged attacks!"

Cardin stopped for a moment but Russel, who was already ahead didn't hear and kept charing towards the serpentine grimm. As he approached he noticed the absence of Cardin and anyone else, causing him to look back just in time for the King Tijutsu to knock him back hard with its tail/dead head. The beast moved to crush him only for Blake to quickly swing in from nearby and pick him up and return him to the rest of the group.

"Make for the bridge!" Pyrrha said indicating towards the temple-ruin.

The four did just that with the Deathstalker and the King Tijutsu on their tails. Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang managed to cross, but the rest were behind, slowed down by Russel and Cardin, who carried him under one shoulder.

The Nevermore just then came screeching in, taking out the bridge that led back and leaving the two groups stranded on either side.

Cardin looked from the King Tijutsu and back to his friend before laying him down and waving his mace around at the serpent grimm. "Hey! Hey! Over here, you overgrown garden snake!" He said before running off and away, leading the serpent as he went.

"We can't leave him to face that thing alone!" Pyrrha said as she saw him go.

"We got our own problem to deal with!" Jaune said pointing to the Deathstalker which charged at them.

* * *

Yang, Blake, Weiss and Ruby, climbed to the top of the temple-ruins and watched the giant bird grimm fly towards them.

"We need to hit it with everything we got!" Blake said as she switched to gun-mode.

The other three did the same as they unleashed their ordinance on the grimm. The Nevermore flew through all of their firepower with little trouble, knocking through their foothold and causing the ruins to partially collapse. The four managed to dodge around the falling debris and land on other parts of the ruin.

Blake and Yang shared a grimace as Ruby and Weiss continued to fire off rounds at the flying beast. "This isn't working." Blake noted.

The blonde haired girl gave a confident smirk. "There is something we could try, but it's a little crazy."

Blake gave a curt nod. "Just tell me what you need."

* * *

Cardin continued to run until he was at the ruin's edge and turned around. The great serpent hissed at him, sending out its tongue every few seconds. The orange haired boy gave a gesture. "C'mon! C'mon! Come at me!" He bellowed.

The King Tijutsu took the bait, lunging at the boy but he stepped out of the way just in time as it sunk its jaws into a pillar, getting its fangs logged in the stone. While the grimm struggled with the stone Cardin quickly ran up another section of the ruin nearby before jumping off from its great height and bringing his mace down with a mighty smash, sending pieces of the King Tijutsu skull flying everywhere.

Cardin gave a smile, planting a foot on the carcass. "And that… is how you get things done."

* * *

The Deathstalker screeched at the Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren, taking swipes at them with its claws and strike with its tail. Jaune and Pyrrha, the two shield bearers of the group, blocked the attacks while Nora fired upon it with her grenade launcher. Uing this distraction, Ren quickly slipped through the opening made by them, managing to catch the thing's tail as it recoiled and firing Stormflower into the join between the tail and the actual stinger.

The grimm howled in pain and swung its tail wildly, sending Ren flying and hitting a ruin where he fell to the ground, hard.

"Ren!" Nora called out, but couldn't move to help him as the thing continued to snap at the three.

Pyrrha looked up, noticing the stinger now hanging much loser and hurled her shield with all he might, cutting the stinger lose from the tail and catching it again as the stinger landed straight into the Deathstalker's skull, piercing the carapace.

"Nora! Hit it hard!" Pyrrha said as she shielded herself.

Nora nodded landing on top of the red head before propelling herself, with the help of Pyrrha high into the air. She then fell, giving herself extra momentum with another fire from her warhammer and with a mighty smash sent the stinger half-way into the Deathstalker's head. The grimm collapsed as everyone took a breather from the exhausting fight.

* * *

Yang fired shot after shot at the Nevermore, gaining it attention as it circled the four girls.

The great bird grimm made a move to swallow gobble Yang up but the blonde caught the monster around the beak and fired into its mouth. "I! HOPE! YOU'RE! HUNGRY!" She said emphasizing every word with a shot.

The grimm, now distracted, flew into the cliff face on the other side of the gorge just as Yang jumped from its mouth. She nodded to Weiss and Blake who returned the gesture as each moved to do their part.

The blonde and the white-haired girl sprinted past one another. Weiss activated Myrtenaster, sending out a wave of ice that caught the tail feathers of the Nevermore and held it in place as it tried to take off. Meanwhile Blake tossed Yang one end of her Gambol Shroud, stretching out the ribbon-like string between two pillars.

Ruby jumped up and the sting stretched back like a bow, just as Weiss got into her position, summoning a stop rune to hold Ruby in place.

"Your sister is absolutely insane, you know that right?" Weiss asked as she aimed.

"Yeah, she gets that from me." Ruby said with a small smirk. "Can you make the shot?"

The heiress returned the smile. "Ha! 'Can I'?" she asked rhetorically.

Ruby eyed her. "Well? Can yo-?"

"Of course I can!" Weiss replied, a little insulted at the questioning.

Ruby just nodded as Weiss changed the rune into one of repulsion and Ruby was sling-shotted towards the Nevermore.

The grimm wasn't paying attention and was caught around the neck by Ruby's scythe before pinning it against the cliff face. Weiss followed up, acceleration runes lining up the wall and Ruby's aura flared as she began to drag the Nevermore by its neck up the cliff side. As she reached the top she gave one last burst of speed and Crescent Rose sliced cleanly through the Nevermore's neck, Ruby flipping through the air as she landed on top of the cliff.

The grimm's body fell into the ravine and Ruby looked down at her sister and the others giving a wave.

Yang just gave a thumbs up in return. "Hot damn! It worked!"

Weiss and Blake walked up to her on either side. "You mean, you weren't sure?" Blake asked.

"Ruby could have been killed!" Weiss added with a huff.

Yang raised a brow, looking to her. "Oh? Concern over my sister all of a sudden? I knew you two would get along!"

Weiss' face went hot. "Wha-? N-no! I just-I just didn't want it on my record that my partner was killed."

"Right…" Blake said, sharing Yang's knowing smirk.

* * *

"It would seem you were right to watch those children headmaster, their performance against fighting such dangerous grimm was most impressive." Glynda said as she looked to her scroll.

"I was confident they had every ability they needed to fight the grimm without out interference." Ozpin replied, taking a sip from his coffee. "There shouldn't have been any grimm in the forest at all." He remarked. "How could this have happened?"

The huntress dismissed her scroll and looked to the headmaster. "Perhaps the ruins have finally worn away so much that their ability to keep out the grimm has faded."

Ozpin dismissed his own scroll and looked out towards the horizon. "Hmm… perhaps…" he said forebodingly. "Perhaps… it's something else…"

* * *

The final part of the initiation was underway and there were only three teams left to announce.

…Next, Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Drove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward the four of you will work together as Team CRDL, led by Cardin Winchester." Ozpin finished as the four boys stood for the announcement and then walked off-stage.

"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie." Ozpin started as the next four took their place. "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward you will work together as Team PVAR, led by Pyrrha Nikos." The crowd clapped for them as Jaune, Nora and Ren joined in for their newly appointed leader, Nora most enthusiastically. The four took off from at last it was time for the final team.

"Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward you will work together as Team XSBR, led by Yang Xiao Long." He finished.

The crowd clapped again though this time there were cheers and a few whoops as well.

Ruby came over and gave her sister a congratulatory hug while Weiss and Blake just clapped politely. Blake looked impassive but Weiss looked somewhat relieved.

* * *

_Later at night…_

Roman closed the door to Neo's room quietly, being sure to not make too much sound as to wake her again. He gave a long sigh and walked over to a deck he'd set up to plan. A map of the city was on the wall before him, indicators marking police rotations and possible places to hit for valuables.

He'd already been here too long, and he knew that. Soon enough the cops would find this place and then that'd be it for him, locked away in some cell where the only thing he'd have to look forward to was making license plates.

And Neo…

He didn't want to think about what might happen to her, much less what might happen if he's captured and she tried to save him.

No, he needed to do something and fast. Something to throw the cops far off his tail, but what?

He lit up his cigar and sat down at his desk. Maybe the paper could give some inspiration.

Let's see…

Local girl stops robbers… He tipped that page clean and tossed it.

Vytal Festival being financed from around the globe… interesting but not what he needed right now...

Local Dust store owner opens hot new noodle stand… well, he _was_ feeling kinda hungry...

White Fang movement on the rise in the area…

Wait…

He gave a smile.

This… this could work.

* * *

**So that's it for the Initiation arc. I wanted to put more into this chapter, but frankly there's not much more to tell.**

**Now for my Q/A portion of the show.**

**TheShadow977 – I can respect that you don't like Jaune from the show. Hell, **_**I**_** don't even like Jaune from the show. But really, I don't think there's anything wrong with his character or backstory as a concept, merely the execution of that concept. Something I hope to fix and one I hope you can appreciate.**

**JamesFames – Correct. See, the only reason anyone anywhere seems to give to me that Yang can't be the leader is her temper. And frankly that's a piss poor reason, especially when she was playing Mother Hen to all three of her teammates.**

**Pyrrha is a leader instead of Jaune because, well, frankly like Yang, she's simply way more qualified.**

**Many people seem to have this idea that Protagonist=Leader and no, that's not always the case as I'll prove.**

**By the by PVAR is pronounced Flare, like a flame. And to recap XSBR is saber, like the sword.**

**Okay? Okay. Please read and review.**


	6. The First Day

**Chapter 6**

* * *

**The First Day**

Weiss' eye gently fluttered open as the light of the new day poured in the window. She sat up in bed, stretching and yawning. What a pleasant sleep that had-

_TWEET!_

The heiress practically jumped out of her skin, but hadn't the balance to do so, resulting in her falling over instead.

"GOOD MORNING TEAM XSBR!" Ruby said enthusiastically as she took a small metal whistle from her mouth and bounced on her heels, already dressed for the day.

Weiss glared at her from the ground. "What in the world is wrong with you?!" Weiss' asked as she picked herself off the floor.

Blake said nothing an, impassive stare upon her features and Yang just sleepily sat up, rubbing her eyes. "God damn, Ruby… it's too early to be doing this…" She said before rolling over.

The blonde closed her eyes, trying to resume sleep until-

_TWEET!_

This time Yang sprung from the bed, irritation clear on her face as she glared down at her little sister, the other two joining their own glares with hers.

Ruby frowned, crossing her arms. "Hey! C'mon you guys! It's the first day of being at Beacon!"

Yang yawned again. "Yeah, and some of us spent out first _night_ at Beacon already."

Ruby just tapped her foot. "No one told you to stay out with your fans partying till dawn, Yang."

The blonde just shook her head as she went over to her suitcase to get her day clothes. She walked sluggishly and Ruby came up behind her. Just as the younger girl was about to blow into the whistle again her sister whirled on her, fast as lightning, and grabbed it. "No more." She said before crushing the thing in her hand and letting it drop to the floor with a dull 'thunk'.

Ruby picked up the whistle with a frown, attempting to blow through it but to no avail, the thing's insides had been completely flattened. "Guys, c'mon. This is the first day in our own dorm, shouldn't we try to make it a little more, you know, home-y?"

The three exchanged glances before looking back to Ruby. "Alright, alright. Just… just give the rest of us a couple more minutes to wake up, okay?" Yang asked.

The younger girl nodded with a smile and after ten or so minutes the three gathered around Ruby, now awake and dressed for the day themselves. "Okay, so what did you have in mind?" Yang asked.

"Well, first things first. We need to unpack our stuff, right?" Ruby motioned to the many suitcases around the room, more than half of which were an ivory white.

Yang, Blake, and Ruby all turned their gazes towards the heiress. "What? Why are you all looking at me?"

"Well, let's all just try to set up our own stuff in our own area by our beds and see what we got to work with." Yang suggested.

With a plan in mind the girls each began to take out their things and placing them within their spaces. Once they had all finished unpacking, they stepped back to examine their work.

All four of the girls frowned at what they beheld.

"It just seems a little…" Yang trailed off as she looked for the right word.

"Cramped?" Blake offered. And she wasn't wrong, with only the space around their beds to work with the girls' things were nearly touching one another, hardly any breathing room and even less to move around in.

"This room really isn't all that big." Weiss noted dryly. "I'm used to bedrooms a little more spacious than this."

"Well we can't all live in mansions built on the backs of hard labor." Blake replied equally dryly, earning a scowl from the heiress.

Before it could get any worse Yang stepped in. "Maybe it would help if we got rid of some things, make a little more room in the… room."

Weiss immediately went on the defensive. "We are _not_ getting rid of any of my things!"

Yang was about to respond, but Ruby spoke up first. "And why not, princess? You have the most stuff! More than the rest of us combined!"

Again, the blonde tried to get a word in but the heiress was already stepping up to the younger girl's verbal challenge. "My things are also more _expensive_, you brat! I can't just throw them away!"

"Why not? You can always just buy more of it, right?" Ruby asked.

The two continued to bicker back and forth not noticing that Yang's brow continued to furrow and her eyes began to redden.

"Oh yeah? Well-OW!" The younger girl was about to respond to Weiss' jibe but fell quiet as Yang gave her a knock on the head.

"Ha!" The heiress said as she pointed a finger only for Yang to knock her on her head as well. "OW!"

"Knock it off! The both of you!" Yang said as her hair slightly glowed. She took a deep breath and her eyes and hair returned to normal. "Name calling and bickering isn't going to get us anywhere. If we want this team to work together, we need to work with one another and make compromises with one another." Neither responded simply looking away and grumbling. "Understand!?" The blonde said with a stomp as her hair and eyes flared again.

The two just grumbled out a "yes" and Yang clasped them on their shoulders with her beaming smile on full display. "Fantastic! Now, shake hands." Ruby offered hers out a little more readily as Weiss reluctantly did the same and they gave a quick somewhat limp shake.

Yang's smile grew mischievous. "You know, I'm not convinced, are you Blake?" The ebony haired girl didn't respond, her hand on her chin and deep in thought. "I think they should hug too, that'll prove they've made up."

Weiss gave an incredulous look. "You can't be serious."

"Yang…" Ruby whined.

"Nope, no buts, hug." She said her a single finger pointed upwards. "In fact, I, as leader of XSBR, _order_ you guys to hug it out."

The heiress sighed and rolled her eyes, opening her arms. "Let's just get this over with."

Ruby took a breath then walked into Weiss' embrace. The two awkwardly held one another for a few moments and then broke apart.

Yang stroked her chin. "Yeah, alright I guess I'm convinced. But this kinda thing happens next time, I'll make you kiss." The blonde said with a chuckle as she went over to Blake, who had zoned out the entire conversation.

Weiss leaned in to and whispered to Ruby. "You know, I heard your sister was a great warrior, but I didn't know she was so…"

"Much?" Ruby offered, to which the heiress nodded. "And you've only lived with her for a single night, try fifteen years."

"Actually guys, I think we can make this work with all of our things, and we don't need to get rid of anything." Blake said as she finished thinking.

"What'cha got Beebee?" The blonde asked.

Blake gave a raised eyebrow to the nickname but continued. "If we remove maybe two of the beds and do some rearranging, I think we can have more than enough space for everything."

"Okay, no offence but I am not sharing my bed with _any_ of you." Weiss said crossing her arms.

"No, that's not what I had in mind." Blake replied.

Ruby suddenly hopped on the balls of her feet again, her giddiness renewed. "Ooh! Ooh! I know! Bunkbeds, right?"

The ebony hair girl nodded with approval, a small smile on her face.

Weiss crossed her arms, closing her eyes. "Well, I guess it's not a terrible idea. Maybe we can put in a request form or-"

"Or we can just take one bed each and stack it on top of the other!" Yang said, now eager about the plan.

Weiss' brow furrowed. "Now that _is_ a terrible idea."

"Nonsense!" The blonde followed up. "Let's get to it!"

After almost an hour of rearranging and work the four once again stepped back and looked upon the room. It was indeed far more spacious now, one bed they had stacked right on top of the other, spare books Blake had brought, raising the level of the bed to a better height. The other was suspended from the ceiling by a series of ropes that Ruby had procured somehow.

"So, what do you guys think?" Yang asked.

"I think I see no less than six safety code violations." The heiress replied dryly.

"I think I'm glad that I'd already finished reading those books." Blake added.

"I think this was a great idea and I'm glad to have been a part of it!" Ruby said enthused.

"Right, well we can sort out the small details later, cause now… now we have out classes." The blonde said pulling out her scroll. "Let's see, our first class together is at nine with-"

"Did you say _nine_?" Weiss asked, looking to the clock she had next to her bed. "It's eight-fifty-five!"

There was a moment of silence before all four of the girls quickly grabbed their things and bolted from the room.

* * *

The four girls managed to enter the room for their first class _Hunters' Regulation and Law_, just as the bell rang Weiss leading the way as her three teammates came in right behind her.

Glynda Goodwitch stood at the bottom of the lecture hall, eyeing them with disapproval, but saying nothing. The four quickly looked for seats and found their friends from the forest, Team PVAR waving them down. Weiss sat on the aisle seat, followed by Blake, Ruby and Yang who sat next to Pyrrha.

As Glynda began to explain the basics of the class Pyrrha leaned over to Yang. "I know you like to make flashy entrances Yang, but perhaps it's not the best idea to do it on the first day of class."

"Yeah, that's on me." The blonde admitted as she whispered through Glynda's words. "Was up too late last night and had trouble waking up this morning. Well, that and we decided to do some redecorating for our dorm room this morning."

The red head just shrugged. "We had our dorm room all put together by eight last night."

"Wow, you guys work fast." Yang replied, a little impressed. "Your beds aren't taking up too much room?"

"No, not at all. It seems that outside of Nora, no one on my team decided to bring anything too excessive so we didn't have any trouble working out space." Pyrrha answered.

"Oh," Yang then got even closer, whispering even softer. "So, how are you guys dealing with the co-ed dorms thing?"

Pyrrha gave a chuckle at that, holding her fist to her mouth to stifle the sound. "Not to worry Yang. Ren and Jaune have been perfect gentlemen to Nora and I. As it turns out, Ren foresaw this may happen and had a changing divider brought along with him. Two, in fact."

"Cool, cool." Yang whispered nodding. "We didn't have a lot of space so we decided on bunkbeds."

"Oh," Pyrrha said a little surprised. "I didn't know they offered that option. How long did it take for maintenance to come and replace the beds for you? Or are you still waiting on them?"

Yang shook her head. "No, we decided to do it ourselves. Stuck one on top of the other and stacked books underneath the legs to give it a little more height. The other we suspended from the ceiling with ropes that Ruby found somewhere."

"That seems… dangerous." Pyrrha said after a few seconds of processing.

Yang gave an admitting shrug. "Well, I mean, yeah, but hey it works right."

The red head just chuckled. "You always find some new way to make me laugh, Yang."

The two gave stifled chuckles but their attention suddenly snapped as their heard a cracking like a whip form the front.

The two looked to see Glynda with a glare on her features, her riding crop poised on her podium. "Miss Xiao Long! Miss Nikos! I am sorry, is my lecture on the basics of hunter law boring to the two of you?"

"No, ma'am." The two responded simultaneously, the class around them gave a round of laughs and the two girl's faces shared a shade normally reserved for tomatoes.

* * *

The rest of the day proceeded rather uneventfully.

_Sparring and Teambuilding_ for XSBR was trying, Yang could work together with any of the three easily enough but when it came to working with one another Blake was apprehensive while Weiss and Ruby would start to argue with each other if left alone for more than a few seconds. While Yang watched her teammates continue to do little more than waste time, she looked over to PVAR and saw Pyrrha already coming up with battle tactics and how to make best use of her own teammates abilities. The blonde sighed as she went to pull the heiress and her sister apart, again.

_Grimm Studies_ wasn't as bad, with it being individual work Team XSBR didn't have any chance to not work with one another but the material was, in a word, dry. Since little was actually known about grimm, being that their bodies turned to dust upon their demise, leaving only their boney carapaces for study and capturing one alive tended to be extremely dangerous for a number of reasons, the class was mostly relegated to recognizing the type of grimm that they were facing and how best to deal with it.

Ruby had already made it a point of fact to study the most common types of grimm like Beowolves and Ursa, so she mostly just doodled pictures of them in her notebook while Professor Port, a slightly overweight elder gentleman with gray hair and bushy mustache in a burgundy suit with large buttons, droned on about his quote "old adventuring days".

Weiss noticed this shaking her head in disapproval and returning to her studious note. Blake seemed impassive, if unimpressed. Yang just frowned, but said nothing as the class went on.

Three-fifteen finally rolled around, which meant _Application of Dust_. Weiss actually gave a genuine smile for the first time that day. The heiress prided herself on being knowledgeable and excellent at in all her studies, but the use and application of dust was her bread and butter. And to be working on it for a grade? This class was going to be a breeze.

XSBR sat down at its lab table and Professor Oobleck, a man with messy green hair and a partially disheveled suit with large opaque round glasses, began a quick roll call.

After roll call and his introduction of both himself and the class, everyone immediately began getting to work.

Half an hour rolled by and the heiress gave a satisfactory smirk to herself at the solution before her, perfectly allotted ingredients, in a perfect flask and mixed _perfectly_. All she had to do now was add the finishing touches and collect her perfect grade. Weiss reached for the last ingredient, but found only open air. Funny, she must have placed her further than she thought. She reached out, but still nothing. Finally, she turned to look and saw Ruby holding the dust vial in her hand.

"Ruby, give that to me." The white haired girl said, holding out her hand.

The younger girl held the vial behind her back. "No."

Weiss' brows furrowed and she held out her hand more earnestly. "Ruby! Now! I need it!" she barked.

Ruby shook her head. "You've been the one doing all the work and not letting me do anything. I want to at least do this part."

Yang and Blake looked up from their own version of the mixture on the other side of the lab table. The blonde shook her head in disappointment. She knew she should have partnered up with Ruby, or perhaps Weiss, seeing as Blake got along with the heiress little better.

"You're just going to mess it up." Weiss hissed, trying to contain her temper and lower her voice.

Ruby stamped on one foot. "I've had just about enough of you looking down on me." She hissed back. "Just let me do this one thing."

Weiss looked to Yang, who just whispered back from across the table. "C'mon Weiss, you have been hogging the entire thing to yourself, just let Ruby do this."

The heiress relented with an exasperated breath. She pushed the solution closer to Ruby. "Fine. But be careful, we need only a little bit to complete this specific dust formula." Weiss said holding up the instruction paper.

The younger girl rolled her eyes. "I know, I know! I've done nothing but read for the last twenty minutes. It says that the last part is to add nine milliliters to the mix and we're done." She said measuring out the amount.

Nine? That didn't sound right, the heiress thought as she picked up the paper and began to read. Her eyes went wide with realization and she watched with horror as Ruby poured in her measured amount. The world seemed to slow down as Weiss shouted "No!" and reached for the solution to move it out of the way but too late.

The solution fizzled for a moment before brightly shining and with one loud _BANG_ a concussive blast was sent out, knocking over all other students' solutions and remaining dust to the floor. Most of the students were virtually unharmed, even Blake and Yang who'd been near the epicenter of the blast had managed to duck just in time.

Only Ruby and Weiss were affected, now covered from head to toe in excess dust and soot created from the messed-up formula.

Ruby wiped some of the debris from her eyes as her ears rang and her sight came back into focus. The first thing she saw was Weiss standing over her, her fists shaking with rage and her eyes like daggers. The younger girl gave an apologetic smile and shrug. "Uh…oops?"

"RU-BY! ROOOOSE!" Weiss bellowed, causing birds in the distance to fly off.

* * *

XSBR found themselves only a few minutes later within the office of Professor Ozpin himself, each member with a different expression on their features.

Blake stood off to one side, passively observing the other three.

Yang stood next to her, watching her sister and the heiress with a grimace.

Ruby, had her arms crossed and her head down, looking to the floor ashamedly.

Weiss, also arms crossed, had narrowed eyes and a deep scowl, but didn't not look to the younger girl, simply focusing her gaze forward.

"So, you four have had quite the eventful first day, haven't you?" Ozpin started, as he looked down at his own scroll. "Disruption during your law class, a complete failure to work together during your team building class, and now this, the partial destruction of one of our dust labs as well as the loss of expensive equipment and dust." He put down the scroll, interlacing his fingers before him. "Do any of you have anything to say for yourselves?"

Yang opened her mouth but Weiss spoke first. "I've had enough, professor. I formally request that I be taken off Team XSBR and put on another team."

Ozpin's features remained a stoic gaze, but he did focus his attention to her. "Is there a problem with the team you're currently on?"

Weiss pointed all the way down to the dark-haired girl at the far end, first. "Blake is an antisocial introvert who refuses to stop personally insulting me and my family every time we speak to one another." Blake actually frowned at that, but remained otherwise unfazed

The heiress switched her finger to Yang. "I _thought_ that Yang would be a boon to have on the team, perhaps even better as a leader, but am now convinced that the only things she's actually good at are goofing off, ogling boys, and enabling her little sister." Yang blinked, astonished at what Weiss had just had the gall to say about her. It had been a long time since the blonde had felt this personally insulted, but she had to admit, the ivory haired girl had set out to do something and by God she'd done it.

The finger had finally landed on Ruby and Weiss' tirade seemed to reach its apex as the girl seemed to have to hold herself back from shouting. "And _her_, this brat, this _child_ may be the single most infuriating person I've ever met and likely ever _will_ meet. She has done nothing but inconvenience and annoy me, directly or indirectly, since I've gotten here. The thought honestly occurs to me what I had ever could have done for the world to burden me with the sincere displeasure of ever having met her." Yang and Blake looked to one another in shock, then to Ruby, her face speaking of nothing but utter disbelief.

The headmaster reached for his cup taking a sip from it then placing it back down. "Do you know why partners and teams are randomized in the way that they are?" When none of them answered after a few seconds he continued. "It is because huntsmen and huntresses must learn to work with and against the faults, they find both in themselves and with each other. It helps them grow not only as combatants but as people. Learning cooperation with each other is perhaps our greatest defense against the grimm threat, and while many do go on to hunt alone, knowing how to work with normal civilians, the military or other government personnel is a key part of any huntsman's skillset." He stopped watching them all process this explanation before continuing. "That being said, it has become apparent that you all need extra guidance so that you may better learn this lesson I've tried to impart. So, starting tomorrow, I'm assigning to you a team, one year your senior, who you will work with to better work out the… problems… in your team dynamic. In addition, in order to pay for the destroyed lab, equipment, and dust, you four will do community service until such time that the debt is repaid."

The four each had varying levels of surprise at this news but Weiss was the first to recover. "Wait, Professor, there's no need for that. I assure you I can cover any damages-"

Ozpin held up a hand and she stopped speaking. "The community service is not due to an issue of money, Miss Schnee, but rather one of attitude. After all, if you four can't find your footing as a team how am I to expect an incident like this not to occur again?" When none of them had a reply to this he took one more sip from his mug. "Now, Miss Xiao Long, please stay behind, the rest of you are dismissed."

The three departed quietly, Yang and her sister sharing a momentary gaze before Ruby continued out the door, closing it with a quiet thud.

Yang was now alone with Ozpin, her cheery demeanor was long gone, replaced with one of shame and disappointment. The blonde didn't even have the never to look him in the eye, but suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to see Ozpin now standing next to her. "Miss Xiao Long, is there something you want to say?"

The blonde opened her mouth, but no words came out. She then shifted on her feet and Ozpin took his hand from her shoulder. "It's alright, take your time."

Yang took a deep breath. "Professor, I'm just not sure what to do." She said finally. "Weiss and Ruby are constantly at each other's throats and Blake refuses to open up about anything to anyone. I can barely get any of them to work with one another before it all breaks down. I'm a failure as a leader."

Ozpin gave a single nod before walking over to his desk and picking up his scroll. Yang watched as he flipped through it before he spoke again. "'A remarkable girl, head and shoulders above her peers who speak of nothing but her praises.'" The blonde blinked at that curiously. "'She works hard and diligently, a truly great huntress in the making.'" Ozpin spoke again as he flipped through the scroll. "There are many such quotes about you, Miss Xiao Long. Do you know where they come from?" Yang shook her head. "They were recommendations that came from your old teachers back at Signal Academy. Apparently, you made quite the impression on the people there."

Yang smiled a little at that as she thought back to those days. "Yeah, it was nice… back then."

The professor returned her expression with a little half smile of his own, putting down his scroll, and leaning on his cane. "You see Miss Xiao Long, I don't think you're a terrible leader." He chuckled a bit. "I don't think you've been at it long enough to say whether or not you're fit to be leader."

Yang's smile faded. "But the others-"

Ozpin held up his hand once more and continued as Yang fell silent. "Are not your fault, Miss Xiao Long. Your sister, Miss Rose, has much talent, but is still young, inexperienced, and naïve. Miss Schnee has dedicated herself to perfection of herself and her craft, which has the unfortunate effect of expecting that same level from everything and everyone around her and growing easily frustrated when it fails to meet those standards. As for Miss Belladonna, well, I'm afraid I will only tell you that she has her own demons to face. In any case, who they are now as people, is not your fault."

"And me?" Yang asked.

"I believe that you are the most qualified to lead this team because you are the most capable of even turning it into one, Miss Xiao Long." Ozpin replied. "Despite your temperament and somewhat juvenile nature, I also believe you to be the most emotionally stable and mature." He gave a tap of his cane on the floor. "You need to reach your team mates and then help them reach one another."

Yang sighed. "But what if I can't? What makes you think I can?" She asked.

Ozpin closed his eyes. "Your birth mother left you at a young age, and then your step-mother died only a few years after." The blonde winced at that memory but the professor continued. "You've helped to raise your half-sister and were an emotional support for your own father." He opened his eyes and gave another half-smile from behind his spectacles. "It takes a special kind of strength to do all that and still be as outgoing and cheerful for all the world."

Yang's produced a half-smile to match and stood a little taller. "I guess, I just did what I thought was right."

"You have a strong nature to nurture and protect." The professor went on, he walked back over to her, putting a comforting hand to her shoulder. "Your sister has already benefitted greatly from it, and now you must extend that nature to two more."

The blonde's face grew concerned. "But, how? If they won't let me in, how can I reach them?"

"With patience." Ozpin advised. "Your sister already idolizes you, so making sure she stays on the right path should be little trouble for you. As for Miss Schnee and Miss Belladonna, observe them, befriend them, get to know them, and in time you'll figure out what you need to do to help them. After that, make sure they do the same with one another, and then you'll truly be one, as a team."

"I'll try, I promise, professor." Yang said her gaze now full of confidence.

Ozpin nodded. "Then, you are dismissed, Miss Xiao Long." He finished, returning to his own desk, and accessing his terminal as he began to work.

The blonde turned to leave but stopped, turning back. "Professor?" Ozpin looked up at her. "Thank you."

Ozpin gave the half-smile again. "My pleasure, Miss Xiao Long."

* * *

**Done. Fantastic, and now it's mail time.**

**The Shadow977: Okay buddy, you seem to have more than just a chip on your shoulder about this, so I'll just assume you literally read "Nothing wrong with his backstory" and then stopped reading because the phrase "as a concept" apparently flew right over you head. But I'll say it once more. There's nothing wrong with his character or backstory AS A CONCEPT. What I plan to do with that concept I won't go into detail but I hope to make better use of it than the show did, now please, have a little decorum and stop trying to pick a fight with me about something I haven't even written yet.**

**JamesFames: I mean not really, it was called XSBR from the onset so…**

**Please Read and Review.**


	7. Upperclass

**Chapter 7**

* * *

**Upperclass**

The next day, Team XSBR sat together at lunch. Ruby had sat down with cookies and milk in her never ending quest to satisfy her sweet tooth. Weiss sat to her right, drinking teat from a cup she'd brought herself. To her right, their leader, Yang, sat, arm propping up her head on the table as she was munching on one of her Red Rhino energy bars. And finally, on the end, sat Blake who'd already finished her meal and was passing time by reading.

After a few more minute of this Yang finally sighing, sitting up and setting the bar down. "So," She said aloud. "are we just going to keep pretending like yesterday didn't happen?"

The heiress sipped her tea calmly. "Oh, sorry. Was there more to bring up? I'd thought I'd made my stance on you all perfectly clear."

Ruby narrowed her eyes, pointing a finger. "You openly insult us in front of the headmaster and that's all you have to say?"

Weiss' gaze flipped to her. "'Insult'? I thought I was describing you."

The younger girl turned to her sister. "You're just going to let her get away with this?"

Yang opened her mouth to speak but the heiress gave a dismissive "hmpf" "Typical," she said. "the child hasn't gotten her way so she runs to big sis to sort it all out for her."

"You arrogant little COW!" Ruby said, rising to her feet. "You think because you got money and a good family name you're better than I am?"

Weiss rose to her feet as well. "No, I'm better than you because I take my studies seriously, and I work hard. _Not_ because I happened to get lucky one night and catch the eye of the headmaster."

The younger girl slapped the tea cup out of Weiss' hands and the thing went flying through the air and smashing against the wall.

The ivory hair girl's eyes went as wide as her saucer. "That was over twenty-thousand lien you just cost me." The heiress said though gritted teeth.

"So, pocket change for you. right?" Ruby quipped back.

The two got in one another's face and they began to quibble once more, each trying to talk over the other. Yang just shook her head with disappointment. Why did she even let the two of them sit together? She turned towards her remaining team member. "Hey Blake, could you-" She stopped noticing a fierce look on her face as she looked across their table.

Yang followed her gaze and saw Cardin and the rest of his goons harassing a faunus girl with rabbit ears, pulling on them and laughing all the while. Blake's eyes were narrowed and low rumble emerged from her throat. The dark haired girl flinched slightly as she felt someone reach for her hand and looked to Yang, who now wore a sympathetic frown upon her features. "Blake, are you-?"

_CRASH_

The two turned to see Weiss and Ruby on the floor, pulling on clothes, hair, and anything else they could get a fistful of, the remains of Weiss' saucer lay near them. "Oh, for crying out loud." The blonde walked over and picked the two off the floor, holding Ruby by her hood and Weiss by the back of her bolero.

"Yang!" They whined in unison.

"I've had enough! From both of you!" She said looking from one to the other as her hair glowed and her eyes gained their red hue. "Both of you, back to the dorm, now." She said as she set them both down. The each looked to her before glaring at one another and taking off in opposite directions.

Yang calmed down as they left her sight and Yang turned to address Blake again only to see the dark-haired girl already left. Yang gave a sigh as she thought back to Ozpin's words. "'Just have patience Yang', 'reach out and make friends with them Yang'. Yeah, easier said than done, professor."

* * *

Hours passed and team XSBR sat quietly in their dorm. Weiss and Ruby were doing homework, on opposite sides of the room and facing away from one another. Blake was reading in her bed while Yang flipped through a magazine.

_KNOCK KNOCK_ went the door, causing all four to look up and to it. Yang was about to speak up but the door suddenly flew open with a crash as it the wall and barely held on by it hinges. The sudden noise caused Weiss and Ruby to jump from their seats with a start while Blake and Yang dropped their reading material with surprise.

Stepping through the doorway were four individuals.

The first was a girl with fair skin, short dark-brown hair and dark-brown eyes. She had wavy locks on one side of her face, dyed with a gradient that started as a dark brown and transitioned to caramel. Her clothes consisted of a long, cocoa-colored shirt with a dark brown waist cincher along with long, dark brown trousers with ribbons on the left side and a brown belt with cartridges. Above that, she wore another cocoa-colored belt of cartridges with a gold crosshairs buckle. What appeared to be a drape of black skirt hung on her right side. Her shoes were a pair of dark brown, high-heeled leather boots with buckles. Along with all this were a number of accessories, such a bracelet with black roses as decoration; these were accompanied by black gloves and necklaces. On her head was a beret of a darker brown and a pair of black, wire-rimmed aviator sunglasses. She held a black shoulder bag with gold studs, which was held by a bandolier strap.

The next was a boy with dark skin and dark, messy copper hair that has a long fringe and a cowlick. He wore a sleeveless, muted orange zipper vest with black lining and a high collar, a pair of black jeans, and brown, laced shoes. His eyes were very nearly a pure white. His exposed arms were covered in scars, and he has a vertical scar on his lips. He had a pair of long black gloves and several pouches attached to his belt.

The third was a tall and athletic-looking young man with shaved-short black hair and tanned skin, wearing mostly pale-green and brown attire. He had a long short-sleeved robe, which he wore on one shoulder over a black muscle shirt. The robe was fastened at the waist by a leather armored belt with two pouches on it. He had brown pants and black-and-green boots and a 5-layer sode which extends up past his shoulder on his left arm. His weapon, a large blade, was affixed to his back with a padded brown strap slung over his shoulder. He also wore a pair of bracers as well as a pair of black gloves with green plates on the backs.

The last was a bunny-eared faunus girl. She wore a short, long-sleeved brown jacket with a golden zipper, brown shorts with golden detail and black leggings. She also had a black, semi-translucent undershirt beneath her jacket, along with golden spaulders and vambraces on both arms, and a belt to match. Her her heel and toes were likewise protected with golden-brown reinforced boots. Yang and Blake recognized her as the faunus from before.

"UH-TEN-SHUN!" The first girl barked, gaining the focus of the room. "My name is Coco Adel! And our dear headmaster, Professor Ozpin, has asked me and my associates here to take you under our collective wing so that we may whip you sorry excuses for huntresses into a proper functioning unit!" She said making sure to punctuate every word she said. "Let me be clear! I! Am not! Your friend! You will do as I say! And you will do as my associates say! And you will question none! I repeat! None! Of what I or any of them say! Or we will use the authority vested in us by Professor Ozpin and make your collective lives a living hell!" She finished giving them all an intense glare to the confused looking four. "Now, are there any questions?"

Weiss raised a hand and Coco looked to her. "Um, yes, I do. What-?"

"Was that a question?!" Coco bellowed at her. "What did I say about questions?!"

The heiress looked astonished as she held up her hands. "Wait! But you just asked if we-"

"That sounds like more questions!" The older girl barked. "That's it! Drop and give me twenty!"

Weiss balked. "What? You can't be-"

"NOW!" Coco bellowed, causing a shaking Weiss to do as she was told and get on the floor, beginning the push-ups.

"Hehe"

Coco spun on her feet so fast that she nearly left a groove on the floor as she spotted Ruby with her hands quickly covering her mouth and the color draining from her face. "Oh? You think that's funny do ya?!" Ruby violently shook her head but Coco had already crossed the room and was now nearly touching Ruby's forehead with her own. "Well, since its so god dang funny, why don't you join her?! Twenty push-ups, NOW!" Ruby quickly joined in with Weiss as they began to do the push-ups together.

Yang and Blake looked to one another, confusion still clear on their faces. This didn't go unnoticed by Coco as she turned to the two of them. "And you two! Still just loafing around in bed while your friends here at least had the curtesy to stand up when we entered?!" They each opened their mouths to speak but the older girl stopped them, holding up her hand. "No! No excuses! Get down with twenty! Both of you!"

The tall boy and the faunus girl exchanged concerned looks and the copper-haired boy finally stepped up and whispered to Coco as all of XSBR did push-ups before her. "Coco, I don't think this is what Ozpin had in mind. Plus, he didn't give us any power to punish them."

Coco gave him a look, but the boy's face remained serious and she nodded. "Okay, okay! Guys! You can stop."

Team XSBR stopped doing their punishment, sitting on their backsides as Coco went on. "Yeah, I was just messing with ya guys. We're not really like that."

Weiss and Ruby had similar faces of a mixture of disbelief and outrage, Blake was mostly impassive though her eyes seemed curious and Yang just gave a good natured unsure half-smile.

"Anyways, I just remembered, we've yet to introduce the gang." She grabbed the copper haired boy's shoulder and held him close so they were side by side. "This loveable guy is Fox Alistair." She jammed a thumb behind her. "The big lug is Yatsuhashi Daichi, and that's Velvet Scarlatina. We're Team CVFY."

Before either Ruby or Weiss could voice their anger Yang managed to speak up. "I'm Yang Xiao Long, and this is Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and my sister Ruby Rose."

Coco nodded. "Right, Team XSBR. That's a bit funny when the leader doesn't even use a bladed weapon." She chuckled. She then turned her attention to Fox. "So, Foxxie, how you think we should handle these girls?"

Fox crossed his arms, looking to them. "It would probably be best to each take one of them aside. They're not working together and we need to understand them as individuals to see how best they can fit together."

"Excellent idea, Foxxie." Coco said booping his nose. He gave her a raised eyebrow as she released her grip and grabbed Yang's hand. "Xiao Long, right? That makes you the leader of XSBR, so we'll talk, leader to leader." She then looked to the other three. "Fox, you can take prissy white, Yatsu, take bratty red and that leaves moody black for you, Velv."

"Got it." Fox replied.

"Understood." Yatsuhashi replied.

"Alright then." Velvet replied quietly.

The three gave annoyed looks at Coco for their nicknames but finally stood up as the eight left the dorm.

* * *

Yang found herself now alone with Coco in her dorm room, she had said this was the best place to get her point across. The girl was lucky, Yang thought, Coco was a second-year which meant she was allowed to have her own private room, which while smaller was not occupied by three other people. Still, there was a smell in here that Yang couldn't help but find as familiar as it was enticing.

Coco opened the window and inhaled deeply before turning around to Yang. "So, team leader, how's that going for ya?" she asked as she reached under her bed for something.

Yang walked over to stand by the window as well, feeling the nice breeze waft through as she watched Coco feel around beneath her bed. "Not great, I mean we've been a team for two days and-"

She stopped as she heard a click from Coco and turned to see her lighting a cigarette, an ashtray now sitting next to the open window. The older girl noticed Yang watching her and she finished lighting the thing, taking a drag on it and blowing the smoke out into the passing breeze. "Yeah," she said as she closed the lighter. "I know about that part, or we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I'm not asking about the team, I'm asking about you."

The blonde watched the tip of the cigarette glow brightly, before fading, shaking herself from the staring as she answered. "I… I guess I'm alight. It's just, a lot to take in, you know? I mean I'm leader which means I'm supposed to be responsible and… leader-ly. But, nothing I try works. I want to be their friend but I'm also kinda supposed to be their boss? I just-"

Coco blew a puff of smoke in her face. "Okay, stop, stop, please. You're just sounding way too pathetic."

Yang coughed at the billow in her face, waving it off. "P-pathetic?"

The older girl took another drag. "Yes, pathetic. P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C, pathetic." She blew the smoke out the window this time. "Look, this is like your second day on the job, so I'm not exactly expecting the world from you, but even so I was expecting better from the girl who placed second at the last Vytal tourney."

Yang frowned and Coco sighed, pulling out another cigarette from her shoulder bag, offering it to the blonde.

"I don't-"

"Yes you do, or if not it hasn't been too long since you quit." Coco said matter-o-factly. "And I need you to relax a bit, so just take it."

Yang hesitated then took it, placing it in her mouth as Coco tossed her the lighter. The blonde caught it, holding the flame close to her mouth to stop the wind from putting out the flame. She took a deep inhale and began to allow the nicotine to do it thing.

Coco smile from behind her aviators. "So, how'd you get your start?" She asked.

Yang took a puff, blowing a smoke ring. "Back at the festival, one of the guys who was slotted to go over to Mistral with me, Rayleigh, he let me have one." She said reminiscing. "By the time I'd gotten home, I was hooked."

"Oh? Then why'd ya quit?"

"Dad."

"Ah." Coco said nodding with understanding. "Old man didn't appreciate a bit of a nasty habit."

Yang shook her head, taking her cigarette out and tapping against the tray. "No, that he did not. Said I was too young to be doing that kind of thing, what kind of example was I setting for my little sister, blah, blah, blah. I guess the nagging eventually stuck 'cause I was about eight months sober, till now, so thanks for that."

The older girl smiled. "Well look at it this way, Yang. We're huntresses, we'll probably be long dead thanks to the grimm before these little babies have a chance to do anything to us. And sometimes, you just gotta lie back and take a moment for yourself."

The blonde nodded in agreement, taking another drag. "And you?" she asked.

"Parents, smokers the both of them. So really, it was probably inevitable." Coco said nonchalantly. "My little brother seems to be breaking the tradition though. She put out the butt in her ashtray and lit another. "But back to the topic of the day. You as leader, what are you gonna do about it?"

"We worked together really well during initiation." Yang said, blowing out another billow. "And they were actually open to listening to me then. So, I was thinking that if we went on missions I'd be their leader, but anytime else, I'd just be their friend."

Coco nodded. "Yeah..,." she said, inhaling. "That's not gonna fly."

"What do you mean?" The blonde asked.

The older girl blew out the window once more. "Being a leader? It ain't something you just do sometimes and don't do other times. It ain't a hat you put on and BAM you're leader or take off and then you're not. It's something that's inside of you, part of you, something you learn to be for those that rely on you, something that never really goes away."

"Like our shared nicotine addiction?" Yang asked, putting the butt out in the ashtray.

Coco peered from behind her aviators. "Exactly. And listen if you wanna be friends with those three, that's fine, I'm friends with all my teammates. But, you gotta realize that being a leader needs to come before being a friend. Elsewise they may not respect you and what you got to say when you say it, ya get me?" She asked as she offered Yang another one.

Yang took it, lighting up. "I think I do. But then, what should I do for now?"

"You need to learn to see the forest through the trees." The older girl advised, waving her hand through the air, causing the smoke to circle around them. "Stop letting all the little details clog up your thinking space and handle things a little bit at a time."

"Meaning, I got to figure out the problems with my team before trying to come up with solutions." The blonde realized.

"Now you're getting it." The older girl said with a wink from behind her aviators. 'And that's what me and my team are here for. We'll be here for you guys every step of the way."

Yang put the cigarette out and began to walk for the door, she stopped at the frame, turning around. "You've given me a lot to think about."

Coco joined her, handing her one last cigarette. "Take it, and remember to take a little time for yourself every once in a while. And if you ever just want to hang for a smoke break, I'm always down for that too."

"Thanks, Coco." Yang said, pocketing it.

"No prob, Yang." The older girl said with one last wink as she tipped her aviators.

* * *

Ruby and Yatsuhashi had gone to one of the many sparing arenas of Beacon. The large young-man sat with his eyes closed while Ruby went through some of her practiced motions with Crescent Rose. After finishing one of her forms, she finally sighed leaning up against her weapon and turning to him. "So, are we going to talk about something or…?"

"If you'd like." He replied politely, eyes still closed. "Anything you'd like to talk about we can."

"Shouldn't you be asking me question though? Like how I feel about Weiss or Blake or my own sister or why I don't think we're working as a team?" She asked.

Yatsuhashi merely shrugged. "If you'd like." He repeated.

The dark-hired girl huffed, going over to the console and typing in new parameters for the spring room. Targets began springing up in the air above them and Ruby switched Crescent Rose into sniper-mode, taking aim as she began to fire. "I just don't see what Weiss' problem with me is."

Yatsuhashi said nothing, but opened a single eye as he watched her bulls-eye one after another.

"She gets in my face about how I don't do anything, and then when I try to do anything she just tells me I'm doing it wrong. I can't win with her." Ruby said, blowing another target out of the air.

"And why do you think that is?" He asked.

The girl took aim, lining up her crosshairs. "I don't know…" She said as she began to squeeze the trigger, only for the conversation from this morning to flood back into her head and she eased her grip on the trigger, lowing the rifle. "I guess it's because she thinks I don't belong here."

"And do you think you do?" He probed.

A deep frown formed on Ruby's lips as she lowered her rifle completely. "I don't know." She replied honestly. "Professor Ozpin picked me up after I just happened to stop a robbery he'd heard about and then he just, out of the blue, offers me the chance to my dream school. I thought I was dreaming. I mean I wasn't the top of my class at Signal and then I just jump two years over everyone else because I happened to get to know the right people one night? None of it makes any sense."

"And when Weiss comments on that, it must feel like she's picking on that insecurity." Yatsuhashi concluded.

Ruby nodded. "I'm not like Yang. Not good at book smarts, not good at dealing with people, and even though I talk a big game, I know I'm not the best fighter either." She replied disparagingly. "But god damn it, I'm trying the best I know how! But still! It's not enough! And every screw-up I make is just one more thing for her to rub in my face! Why can't she just see I-I'm just-!" She seethed, unable to finish her sentence and feeling her eyes well up.

Yatsuhashi's eyes softened, he got up and walked over and putting a comforting had on her shoulder. "I believe you are, else it would not hurt so much to have such efforts be ignored and discarded."

Ruby couldn't look him in the eye, wiping her face on her sleeve.

"But you need to let go of these expectations you think you need to fulfil for Weiss and the impossible ones you've set for yourself." He counseled. "I trust the Professor's judgment, and if you weren't ready for this, he wouldn't have offered you a place here."

The girl finished wiping her face and looked up at him with a snooty smile. "Thanks, I really needed that. But what should I do then?"

Yatsuhashi looked off into the distance. "I sense that Weiss has her own issues to work through. I believe those issues may even been the source of her rather poor attitude." He looked back to her. "Just keep in mind that you're doing the best you can and don't let her words try and sway you otherwise. In time I believe she may even come to see all your efforts, and realize the error of her ways."

"And if she doesn't?"

"You can't force people to change Ruby, only give them reason to." He then clapped her on the back. "Now, perhaps a little sparing might lift the mood?"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically as Yatsuhashi set up the area, and the two clashed.

* * *

Weiss and Fox sat on a bench on the school grounds, the copper haired boy looked to the heiress, whose arms were crossed and her eyes closed. "So, if there anything you want to talk about?' he asked cautiously.

"I don't know, Fox, was it? Frankly, I can't even see why Ozpin forced me to do this, the other three? Absolutely. But me? I just don't get it." Weiss said as she shook her head and opened her eyes.

The copper hair boy nodded. "I see. Well, have you perhaps considered-?"

"And anyways nothing that's happened here had been my fault! And yet I'm blamed for it anyways!" She said, not paying the slightest attention to Fox, uncrossing her arms as she balled her hands into fists. "I mean my attitude?! There's nothing wrong with the way I act, and even if there were it's nothing compared to how that brat behaves!"

"Okay, well-" Fox began.

But Weiss was on a roll now, ignoring his presence entirely. "I mean she's an entire _two years_ younger than anyone else here, _two years_! And why? Because she just happened to stop a criminal? Big deal! It's not like she, oh I don't know, had the highest grades in her class and was recommended by numerous staff members of her school! Like I did! Even her sister who placed second in the last Vytal festival didn't accelerate forward by that much, so why her? What makes her so special?"

"I couldn't really say, but-"

"Speaking of! Yang!" Weiss said moving from younger sister to older. "What a disappointment she was. I mean I'd heard through reputation alone that she was supposed to be one of our generation's most gifted, but I can only guess that came from people that haven't gotten to actually know her. She's goofy, distracted, irresponsible, lazy and just a ditz who's done nothing but let her little sister do as she pleases."

"I'm sure it's not that-"

"And then there's Blake." The heiress said starting in on the last member of the team. "That antisocial little wench has done nothing but insult me and my family name since I met her, as if she knows _anything_ about me. And if she's not doing that she's just ignoring me and the rest of our team and anything else around her while she buries herself in a book!"

"I see. Well perhaps-"

"I tell you, Fox." Weiss went on, not even aware he was trying to get a word in. "If I was on a better team, things would be different. Better yet, if I was leader, things would be different. I'd have those three whipped into shape in no time. No more coddling for Ruby, no more inefficiency from Yang, and no more of this introverted, wall flower stuff from Blake."

"Alright, well, that's a lot to unpack. First-"

Weiss then sighed, shaking her head. "Ah, but look who I'm talking to. It's not like you could understand. I mean you're not a leader, if only I'd gotten with Coco." She then put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry though, I won't tell her that you just weren't up to the task. And hey, maybe next time I can actually talk to somebody who'd understand."

Fox was stunned to silence, unable to say anything as Weiss got up and began to walk away.

* * *

Velvet and Blake walked through Beacon's garden, Velvet stopping to smell some of the flowers and the younger girl followed slowly behind her. "Ah," Velvet began "the lilies are almost in bloom, only another week or so." She looked back to Blake who just silently stared at her. "Do you like flowers, Blake?"

'They're… alright… I guess." Blake said, gazing at them disinterestedly.

Velvet took another deep breath, inhaling with a smile. "Ah, yes. The smells, that's what I love about this place, the pure aroma, it just makes me feel so at ease."

Blake frowned at her and finally just stated what'd been on her mind this entire time. "Why'd you do that?" She asked.

The older girl looked confused. "I'm sorry? Do what?"

"Cardin and his cronies, you let them make fun of you, harass you. Why?" Blake demanded to know. "You're a year _older_ than he is! He shouldn't be doing that to you!"

Velvet looked away, embarrassed. "Oh, you saw that, did you?"

"I did." Blake confirmed.

"I'm embarrassed that you saw that, but while Cardin and his friends may be bullies, an eye for an eye would make the whole world blind." Velvet replied, still not able to meet Blake's gaze. "If I did something, hurt him, he'd only be more resentful of faunus. So, if he needs a conduit for his frustrations, I can take it, and perhaps I can find a way to get him to come around so he doesn't feel the need to bully anyone again." She then managed to look up to meet Blake's gaze. "Which doesn't mean I'm going to put myself in a position to be bullied, it just means that if he feels the need to go out of his way, I can take it." She then shrugged as her cheery personality returned. "Besides, it's better to make friends than enemies, right?"

The younger girl frowned, unsure of how to respond, instead she just closed her eyes and two began to walk through the garden one more.

* * *

As the evening sun began to set the four couples reconvened back in the school's courtyard. The members of each team rearranged themselves until CVFY and XSBR were standing across from one another.

"Okay, newbies. That's it for today." Coco announced. "You all can head back to your dorm, I need to reconnoiter with my lts here about what you guys need work on. We'll be in touch about the next meet-up. DIS-MISSED!" Coco said giving a shout as she saluted dramatically.

The girls looked to one another but said nothing as they all walked off towards their collective dorm.

CVFY watched them go before Coco turned to her own teammates. "So, that Yang girl. She's green, no doubt, but I think I can mold her into a mean-green leadin' machine no problem."

Yatsuhashi nodded. "I believe Ruby has a few things to work out, but she has a good head on her shoulders. I have faith in her ability to overcome what she needs to."

Velvet clasped her hands together. "I think Blake and I really made a connection today, and even though we didn't talk about too much, I'm really looking forward to our next talk."

Fox shifted in his stance. "I… I didn't actually talk to Weiss about her own problems, she just vented at me about her teammates. I'm sorry, I failed." He said, sounding utterly defeated.

Yatsuhashi and Velvet frowned at this but Coco just walked up to him, slapping him on the back. "Ah, don't sweat it Foxy. Some people just have sticks way too inclined to stay up their own butts. But, from what I saw of Yang, in time, she's gonna yank that thing right on out."

* * *

**This author does not promote smoking or the use of cigarettes, please Review**


	8. For Your Thoughts

**Chapter 8**

* * *

**For Your Thoughts**

Two weeks had come and gone and XSBR's community service was nearly at an end. Everyday after school and their weekend afternoons had been dedicated to their sentence.

Yang had been helping out a local dojo with teach basics of self-defense for non-huntsmen and had found the work rewarding.

Ruby had spent her afternoons helping out daycare centers by assisting the workers and reading to little kids stories that she herself used to read. She found a sense of pride in herself as the kids looked up to her in wonder.

Blake had been working out of a local animal shelter and had been quite skilled at working with the animals, especially cats.

Weiss even stepped up as she worked for a job-finding agency, helping many people to put together impressive resumes, though she did end up directing many to her own family's business or a subsidiary of it.

Today though, they had all been asked to clean up after a local festival. Nothing too special, just a bit of local flair that had come and gone.

Velvet watched them work with an encouraging smile. "Keep it up you guys, you're almost finished."

Ruby picked up another foam cup and tossed it in her bag before looking down the road to the entire street they still had to do. "'Almost finished' my foot." She grumbled. "It'll be hours before we're done at this rate."

"At least you're doing it for a small-time festival!" Velvet called out. "Imagine the workload if you were clearing up after Vytal!"

Ruby sighed, then eyed Yang and Blake at the end of the street with their own cans, the street resembling a war-torn battlefield with heavy napkin casualties. "Yeah, still, there's gotta be a better way to do this…" A lightbulb went off in the young girl's head and she called down to the two of them. "Hey! You guys! I've got an idea!" she said. "Hold your cans on their side so they're facing me, then get behind them and hold on tight!"

"What?! Why?!" Yang bellowed back as she and Blake stopped to address her.

"Trust me, I got an idea!" She said.

Blake looked to Yang who just shrugged and they did as they were told. Ruby got down into a sprinter's stance and her sister's eyes widened with realization. "Wait! RUBY!"

But it came too late as Ruby's semblance manifested itself, as she dashed around faster than the eye could follow, forming a whirlwind that whipped itself up and began to pick up garbage all along the street. Yang and Blake hunkered down behind their trashcans, trying to keep them in place while simultaneously trying to avoid the airborne garbage now headed their way.

But to both their surprise the whirlwind was surprisingly manageable, the end of the cyclone only funneling out to the inside of their cans.

"Woo! Nice going Ruby! We'll get this done in no time!" Yang bellowed over the gale as she dug in her heels against the wind.

The blonde glanced over to Blake who was beginning to lose her footing against her sister's artificial squall. Yang reached over and behind her, pushing their two cans together. "Hold on!"

After a few more seconds, the wind finally died down and Ruby appeared once more, bending over and gasping for air.

Yang and Blake stood up, their hair now windblown and blasted back. They looked at one another before shaking their heads violently, their long hair returning to normal. "That was pretty smart thinking, sis." Yang said with a thumbs up as she righted her trash can. "Just do that two or three more times and we should be all set."

The younger girl, still heaving for air, just gave a thumbs up.

Yang then looked over to Weiss who was standing around while discarded fliers and used corn dog sticks littered the ground around her. "Hey! Weiss! You going to pitch in sometime today?!" Yang called over to her.

The heiress crossed her arms. "I'm many things, Yang! But a garbage man is not one of them!" She called back.

Ruby, still catching her breath, finally stood up, turning around to face her. "C'mon *huff* princess, we're doing *huff* all the work here."

The heiress turned her nose up at them. "I am _not_ going to be doing anything of the sort. Trash, and its disposal are beneath someone of my station."

Yang saw both Ruby and Blake begin to furrow their brows. "Weiss, c'mon you're a part of the team! At least help Blake hold her can!" Yang called again.

Weiss just shook her head. "No! I refuse!"

It looked like another argument was about to break out but Velvet finally stepped in. "Might I offer a compromise?" She then pointed down to some of the workers who were currently dismantling and putting away equipment from the day before. "Perhaps some of those gentlemen could use your help? It would be a little cleaner than picking up garbage."

Weiss walked over looking from the trash at her feet to the workers. She then closed her eyes and sighed. "Fine, I'll go. Let it not be said that Schnee's don't always do our part."

Ruby and Blake watched with glares while Yang sighed. Over the last several days, Weiss and Ruby seemed to have ceased their feud and the blonde had hoped that had meant that some progress had finally been made, now she was just wondering if this was only the calm before the storm.

Some of the workers looked up from their dismantling as they saw the heiress approach. "Hey look guys! We're going to be working with a real celebrity today! Heiress to the Schnee family name!" Said a balding man as he unscrewed a bolt.

"Ah, knock it off you clown, you know she wouldn't be here if she didn't have to be." A well-built woman with dark skin and hair said, packing up a cotton candy machine in a truck behind them.

"Doesn't mean we're not good company." Replied another man with long blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. "I mean, better to take orders from us than a critter like her, right?"

Velvet frowned but out of the corner of her eye saw Blake grit her teeth and clench her trash bag tightly. The two locked eyes and the older girl almost imperceptibly shook her head. The younger girl, unclenched her jaw and relaxed her grip with a huff.

Yang, noticing all of that, raised a brow to the ebony-haired girl next to her. "What was that about?"

Blake watched the workers continue to laugh as Weiss walked over and joined them in their work. "I… *sigh* I used to be a… an ally of faunus, many of my friends were faunus and hearing that kind of thing, it just gets me riled up."

Yang nodded in understanding. "I see, that's why you're always bringing up that stuff about her family's corporation. Kinda ironic you, as a faunus supporter, would be on a team with someone like Weiss."

Blake gave a small smile at the understanding. "Yeah, I guess so." She then shook her head, trying to clear it. "Anyways, let's just get back to it."

"Right." Yang said, crouching behind her and holding the cans tightly together again. "Alright Ruby! Let 'er rip!"

The dark-haired girl nodded, as she revved up her semblance again, becoming a blur once more as a whirlwind picked up.

Yang and Blake held on tight as a second wave of garbage came at them, but this time, something much bigger than street trash was caught up in the gale. Yang couldn't make it out as the wind cause her to squint but when whatever it was hit the can, the damn thing nearly tore itself clean from her grip as both Yang and Blake stumbled back.

"WHOA! WHOA! RUBY! STOP!" Yang bellowed.

Ruby slowed down, appearing behind them with a curious look on her face. "What? What is it? What happened?"

The blonde, after fixing her hair again, moved around so she could see the front of the can and her face blanched. "Uh-oh."

"'Uh-oh'?" Ruby questioned, concerned. "What 'uh-oh'?"

Both she and Blake walked around until they saw what Blake was looking at. Buried within the trash were two stocking-covered legs, sticking straight up and out of the can.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Well, don't just stand there!" Yang said. "Help me pull her out!" Yang ordered.

The three girls all began to tug at the can, Ruby and Blake on either side each holding one leg while Yang held the can in place.

After a second, the three stumbled back as whomever it was popped out. The girl in question was now flat on her face, but then slowly picked herself up and knocked the garbage clean with precise hits to the debris. She had short, rather curly orange hair with a small ahoge on top that came down to her chin, and wore a pink bow on the back of her head along with bright green eyes, light skin and freckles. She wore a whitish-gray old-fashioned blouse with short gray feminine overalls, as well as a black and green collar with the stockings they now only notice had green lines running up and down their sides. "Salutations!" She said rather happily.

The three shared confused looks with one another before looking back to her. "Uh… hello?" Ruby replied.

"Are you… okay?" Yang asked.

The girl beamed like a searchlight. "I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking!"

"Sorry about the whole 'sweeping you up with garbage' thing." The younger girl said.

The girl's smile didn't falter for a second as she looked to Ruby. "Not to worry, I'm just fine. I just investigated because I found it strange that such strong winds would be blowing through the city given our geographical location, time of year, and current weather trends. But now I see that you're the source, and my investigation is complete."

The three continued to exchange looks on this very odd girl when their attention was drawn to Weiss who was now walking back over to them, having finished helping the workers. "I swear, some of those buffoons… worse than the brat…" she grumbled before her attention was drawn to the stranger before her. "Uh… hello, who are you?"

"Salutations!" she said again with the exact same energy and inflection as before. "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Hi Penny!" Ruby said, trying to match her enthusiasm. "I'm Ruby."

"I'm Weiss."

"Blake."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" The blonde asked, only to be elbowed by Blake. "I mean, I'm Yang."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny replied, her smile as bright as the sun.

"You already said that." Weiss noted dryly.

Penny looked curious for a moment before her grin returned full force. "So I did!"

An awkward silence followed for a few moments before Yang cleared her throat. "Well, Penny, it was nice to meet you, but we have to get back to work now."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, sorry again for sweeping you up like that. Take care, friend."

The four began to return to their duties when they noticed Penny was now in front of them again. "What did you call me?"

All of XSBR looked from her to behind them and back again, all of them with dumbfound expressions.

"How did she-?" Blake started.

"I don't know." Yang answered.

"Did we call her anything?" Weiss asked, now looking concerned.

"Yes, she did." Penny said stepping past the older girls and stopping in front of Ruby, looking like a deer in the headlights. "She called me 'friend'."

"I-well-I-uh…" Ruby stuttered as Penny leaned closer.

"You called me 'friend'." She repeated now entirely too close to Ruby's own face for her liking. "Are we friends?"

The younger girl looked to her older teammates. Blake and Weiss, for once in agreement, mouthed the word no and violently shook their arms and heads, while Yang just gave an unsure shrug.

Ruby just awkwardly smiled. "Uh, sure? Why not?"

Yang and Blake frowned in an unsure manner while Weiss face palmed.

"SEN-SATIONAL!" Penny said, doing a little pirouette of joy in place. "We can paint our nails and try on clothes and talk about cute boys!" she said excitedly.

Ruby inched closer to Weiss while Penny continued to float on cloud nine. "Is this what it was like when you first met me?" she asked.

"No, she seems far more coordinated." Weiss remarked, earning a brief glare from the younger girl.

"You're not from around here, are you Penny?" Blake observed.

The orange haired girl shook her head. "No, I am not." She said simply. "I came from Atlas with my father."

Weiss eyes lit up at that. "Atlas? Then you must know who I am."

Penny turned to her and Weiss swore she thought she saw her eyes dilate and glow but after a second, she spoke. "Of course, Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, second child and daughter of one Jacques Schnee. I know _many_ things about you."

The heiress looked a bit taken back by that. However, before she could voice any further questions Yang spoke up. "So, what brings you to Vale?"

"Are you referring to the city or the kingdom?" She asked in return. "In either case, I'm here to compete in the Vytal festival tournament."

"You're competing?" Blake asked.

Penny gave a salute. "I'm combat ready!" she said enthused.

The heiress scoffed lightly. "Forgive me, but you hardly look the part."

"Says the girl wearing a dress?" the ebony-haired girl asked.

"It's a combat skirt!" Weiss corrected, crossing her arms.

"Yeah!" Ruby said as she sported the same thing, earning a reluctant low five from the heiress.

Penny then turned and looked at Yang. "I'm especially hopeful I might test my battle maneuvers against one as talented as you, Yang Xiao Long. It would be sure to yield great combat data. You did nearly win the last one, correct?" She finished as she got close to Yang's face as she did with Ruby.

Yang nodded and smiled politely as she leaned back. "Yeah, it was close the last time. And I'm sure fighting you would be… great." She finished.

"Sensational!" Penny finished as she held up her arms in joy. "Now, on to your current task. You are cleaning up this street are you not?"

"Yeah, speaking of, we should get back to it." The blonde said, attempting to end the conversation as she and the other four began to walk off once more.

But to no avail as Penny walked with them. "Perhaps I might be of some assistance?"

"You want to help us clean garbage?" Ruby asked, genuinely surprised at her excitement for a chore so menial.

"Of course! We are friends now and friends assist one another in their goals." The orange-haired girl replied.

Yang and the others looked to one another. "Could you give us a second, Penny?" Yang asked.

The girl gave one nod before walking over to the trashcans.

The four huddled up and Yang began. "Okay guys, so what's your take on this girl? Cause right now, she's already topped the list of weirdest people I've ever met and you should see some of my fan base."

"I agree," Weiss said. "There's something off about her and I don't like it."

"Guys! C'mon, be nice!" Ruby replied, defending her. "She's a newcomer to this place from a far-away land. Of course she's going to seem strange to us."

"I'm from Atlas and I've never met anyone who acted the way she does." The heiress replied.

"Have you ever met someone in Atlas who wasn't a servant or born with a silver spoon in their mouth?" Ruby asked as dry as a desert.

Blake took control of the conversation before the two could get into it again. "Hey, she wants to help I say we let her. It's not like Weiss was going to pull her weight with garbage duty anyways."

"I did too pull my weight." Weiss hissed. "But my talents should be of more use than to pick up trash."

"Hey! Guys!" Penny called out to them, momentarily breaking the huddle as the four of them looking over and seeing her lifting full cans one with each hand. "Do you need me to dispose of these in the dumpsters?"

"That's got to be eighty kilos worth of garbage she's lifting with each hand." Blake said, dumbfounded.

"Hot damn, the girl's an ox!" Yang said. "She's not even using her aura, even I couldn't do that."

"How is she lifting so much with those skinny arms?" Weiss asked, bewildered.

"Who knows, but with her helping us this get done lickty-split." Ruby said.

"Agreed." Yang said. The four broke their huddle and walked over to Penny. "Hey, Penny. If you really want to, we'd love to have your help."

"Sensational!" The orange-haired girl replied. "I'll just dispose of these in the ally over there and be back for the rest." She said, walking off.

"Weiss, go and assist her, just in case." Yang ordered to which Weiss silently acquiesced. "Blake, Ruby, back to what we were doing before." The two dark-haired girls nodded as Yang and Blake grabbed empty cans and Ruby got ready to sprint once more.

"You guys ready?!" Ruby called out.

"Yep!" Yang called back for the both of them.

"Set?! G-!"

"AAAAUGHH!" Came a wail from the ally.

The three exchanged concerned glances before the three of them rushed over just in time to see the two in the alleyway next to the dumpster, Penny looking confused and frightened while an enraged Weiss, now covered head to toe in refuse, got right up in her face. "YOU CARROT-HEADED CLOD! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Penny held up her hands in defense. "I'm so very sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"NO!" Weiss said, shutting her up. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT YOU WEIRDO! YOU'VE RUINED MY CLOTHES, WHICH BY THE WAY, COST MORE MONEY THAN YOU'LL EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFETIME. I'LL HAVE TO GO HOME AND TAKE A MILLION SHOWERS JUST TO GET THIS OFF OF ME!"

"Weiss!" Yang called out. "What happened?!" Yang asked.

"THIS ORANGE HAIRED BUFFOON COVERED ME IN TRASH!" She screeched.

The three looked to Penny. "It was an accident. Please." Penny said trying to explain.

Yang walked over to the ivory-haired girl. "Weiss, you need to-"

Weiss slapped the hand away. "Don't you dare!" she glowered. "Don't you dare tell me to 'calm down', not after this!" She said pointing to her own face.

"Weiss-"

The heiress shot daggers from her eyes. "NO! Don't touch me." She said as her wailing screams became harsh gritted whispers. "I'm going… to go find somewhere to clean this off… and then I'm going back to our dorm." She said slowly, each word dripping from her mouth like boiling water. Yang tried to speak up again, but Weiss held up a single finger. "I don't care, what you have to say, 'leader'. I am done, with this. If Ozpin wants to punish me further after this, so be it, but I am done, with this." She then began to walk slowly out of the alleyway, Blake and Ruby making room for the seething girl they all watched as she turned the corner and out of sight.

The three turned back to an utterly distraught Penny, her cheery demeanor gone, replaced with one that was on the verge of tears. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"What happened?" Blake asked.

"We were attempting to dispose of the trash and were doing just fine. But then, the bag's integrity failed and the trash flew into the air." Penny explained holding up the torn bag. "And unfortunately this series of events happened just as the bag was level with Weiss' head."

"Penny, it wasn't your fault." Ruby said, trying to assure the girl. "Weiss is just-"

"Correct." The Orange haired girl said, stopping her, the trembling in her voice gone. "Weiss is just correct. I should have made sure the integrity of the bag was more secure, or I should have been more careful in the handling of the bag. It _is_ my fault." She said hanging her head. "I have failed as a friend."

"Penny…" Ruby said as all three looked to the girl with varying degrees of sympathy.

"Guys?" Came a voice from the alleyway's entrance All four turned to see Velvet standing there looking worried. "I saw and heard everything."

"Velvet, I'm sorry I take full-" Yang started only to be stopped as Velvet held up a hand.

"It's alright. You four have worked hard these past two weeks." She said. "I think that you've done enough for today, just head on back to Beacon, I'll take care of everything else here."

The three nodded and turned around to address Penny, but the odd girl was already gone.

"Penny?" Yang asked to the now empty hallway.

"Where'd she go?" Blake wondered.

"Penny…" Ruby said sadly.

* * *

The three walked slowly back to the heli-port.

"Well, at least we don't have any more community service to do." Yang said.

"But Penny feels awful now, because of an accident." Ruby said sadly.

Yang patted her little sister on the head. "It'll be alright, Ruby. I'm sure Penny'll get over it"

Blake noticed something across the street as they passed. "Hey, you guys, check it out." She said.

The sisters followed Blake's finger and saw a police tape across a crime scene.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"A break in?" Yang wondered.

"Should we check it out?" Blake asked.

"Let's." Ruby said.

"Alright, but let's try and keep our distance."

The three crossed the street and each leaned up against the wall, two cops nearby talking.

"Another dust shop hit." One of them said. "That's the third in as many weeks."

"Seems like someone's trying to stockpile dust." The other replied.

"Wha'da mean 'someone'?" Said the first. "Those mongrels left their little calling card in the back against the wall"

The second frowned. "Not like anyone's seen them in the act. And footage has all been erased."

"I'm tellin' you man, the White Fang is mobilizing again." The first said. "And they're planning something big, I can feel it."

"Maybe." The second said. "But still, something just feels fishy to me. I mean why sign their name to this? What's the message they're trying to send?"

"Same message as any terrorist." The first replied. "'Fear us, we're here and we're coming for ya'"

"If that was true they could have burned the place down, or done more damage some other way." The second said, skeptically. "Why loot the place and then just leave your calling card?"

"Who knows how those mutts think." The first replied. "But either way, we got to catch who did this."

The three backed away slowly. "The White Fang? Here?" Ruby asked.

"I heard about them, a group of pro-faunus terrorists." Yang said. "If they're in Vale it can only be bad news."

Blake said nothing for a few moments, lost in thought before being shook out of it by Yang. "Blake! You alright?"

The ebony-haired girl nodded. "Yeah… yeah… I'm fine. Let's get going before we're missed." She said.

The other two nodded as they ran off towards the heli-port.

* * *

**Done, please Review.**


	9. Superior Inferior

**Chapter 9**

* * *

**Superior Inferior**

Yang, Blake and Ruby walked down one of Beacon's many hallways, the blonde in the middle while the younger girls flanked her sides.

"So anyways, Ruby, thanks for helping me tune Gambol Shroud." Blake said. "The way it transforms from gun to blade is much smoother now."

Ruby smiled. "No problem Blake. It was the least I could do after you help me ace that _Regulations and Laws_ homework."

Yang looked over her shoulder at the two, giving a little smile. Any progress that might have been made with Weiss seemed to be stopped dead in its tracks but Blake was actually beginning to open up now. Nothing too personal mind you, but small talk was now possible. Yang had hopped to get some insight into the girl herself, but Ruby had beaten her to the punch, and to the blonde's surprise, her sister's naturally optimism seemed to be rubbing off on Blake enough to get her speaking, if only a little bit.

"So, why do you guys think that Weiss went ahead?" Ruby asked.

Yang shrugged. "Dunno. But maybe it's best just to leave her be for now. I mean it's not like she's done anything-"

Blake stopped, holding up a hand. "Wait."

The sisters stopped looking to her. "What is it?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, what's up?" Yang said jamming a thumb over her shoulder to a doorway not ten feet away. "We're almost to class."

"I know, but I hear something…" Blake said. "It's Weiss and Professor Goodwitch."

Ruby looked from the doorway and back. "You can _hear_ them? From here?" She then looked to Yang but noticed she was already leading against the door frame.

The other two joined her and the three peered in seeing only two people at the back of the sparing hall, a large spacious room with a raised platform and stands to watch from. Weiss, her back to them, was speaking to Glynda, whose arms were crossed as she addressed the youth before her with a clear air of disinterest.

"The answer is 'no', Ms. Schnee." The Professor said, her tone patient but strained.

"But please!" Weiss pleaded. "You're someone Professor Ozpin might listen to! If you just-"

"I will not repeat myself, Ms. Schnee." The blonde professor replied. "I trust in Professor Ozpin's judgement, and if he says a transfer is unnecessary, it _is_ unnecessary."

"But-!"

"How many students do you think have come and gone from Beacon, hmm?" The professor asked. "Hundreds, the only time transfers have ever been a necessity was if a student was, for whatever reason, unable to complete the year."

"But I-"

"My answer is final. Now, get to the bench Ms. Schnee." The Professor said dismissively, motioning to the bench again.

The three watched as Weiss clenched her feet and turned around, the three removing themselves from the line of sight just as she looked up.

"So that's what she's been up to." Blake said.

"She wants to leave, I say good riddance." Ruby said. "She's done nothing but complain and belittle us since we all joined together." She looked to her sister. "What do you think Yang?"

The blonde was about to speak her thought s on the matter but began to see students pouring in from the hallway towards them. "It doesn't sound like she's going to be able to leave us, but we'll discuss this more after class."

The three entered and sat next to their teammate, who gave them an icy glance before turning back to the front of the room.

Once all the students had settled in Glynda began, standing on the edge of the platform stage. "Now, as you all know, one must maintain excellent physique and technique to be a huntsman or huntress. A huntsman lacking in either of these qualities may find themselves in an early grave." She said taking out a small remote. "With that in mind, you will all be sparing today so that I may personally access your skills." She clicked the remote and a large screen appeared behind the professor with names and faces each paired off against one another.

Yang saw it first, her eyes widening with worry as she turned to look at Weiss and Ruby, the two shocked as their gaze fell on what had caused the blonde such worry.

The one they were partnered with was one another.

The heiress' hand shot up like a rocket and Yang watch the Professor mask a sigh as she pointed to the outstretched limb with her riding crop. "Yes, Ms. Schnee?" she asked.

"If I may be so bold…" she started.

"Oh, asking for permission all of the sudden?" Ruby mumbled under her breath.

"Why am I being paired with her?" She said, pointing a finger at Ruby.

The professor pointed her riding crop up towards the screen. "Have you really not noticed yet?" she asked her voice dripping with weariness.

"The pairs are all the partners we found in the forest." Blake said with dry observation.

Weiss looked to the screen, her eyes darting from one pair of pictures to another. Yang and Blake, Jaune and Pyrrha, Rena and Nora, on and on it went.

"Even still, I demand you switch me with someone else, battling a child is beneath me." Weiss said crossing her arms and up-turning her nose.

Yang put her head in her hands. The ego on this girl was something else.

Ruby, not for the first time since she'd met her, was stunned to silence by what Weiss had the gall to say about her. She knew Weiss didn't think much of her, but to insult her skills with Crescent Rose was a step too far.

The younger girl shot up from the bench, pointing a finger at Weiss. "That's IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!" She barked.

Yang and Blake exchanged looks at the younger girl's outburst while Weiss narrowed her eyes at the accusatory finger inches from her face.

"You can insult me for my age, you can mock me for my study habits, but no one, NO ONE, MOCKS ME AS A FIGHTER!" She bellowed.

There were murmurs from the other students and Yang saw out of the corner of her eye the concerned gaze of Pyrrha.

_WWWOOO-CRACK_

The classes attention snapped to the front as Glynda snapped her ridding crop through the air, the source of the sound. "Enough, it seems that we have our first two volunteers for sparing."

"Gladly." Ruby said as she stepped down from the bleachers, Weiss followed her silently, the two walking up opposite ends of the ramp to the stage that was to be their battleground.

Glynda looked from one girl to another, feeling the tension in the air as the two glared death at one another. "Before we begin, I will reiterate the rules."

"I know the rules." Weiss said, not breaking her gaze from Ruby.

The younger girl's eyes narrowed. "So do I."

"Why don't you two indulge me anyways?" Glynda asked as she pressed another button, Ruby's and Weiss' faces becoming larger than the others as they took up the screen a green bar beneath them. "This is a clean sparing match, measured using your respective auras. Your aura class was determined using the physicals that were taken during your admittance to this school. All weapons and tactics are permitted and the first student to reduce the other's aura to 10% is the winner. If there are no questions…" She looked between the girls but neither of them turned as they locked on to one another, Glynda took a few steps back. "begin."

The two were gone in a flash, but reappearing in a blink of an eye in the center stage. Weiss started off jabbing at Ruby with Myrtenaster but the younger girl countered, showing superb dexterity as she used such a weapon at such close range, dogging around the blows or blocking with the snath of Crescent Rose.

Ruby took a step back and began to go on the offensive, long swinging strikes coming at the heiress. The ivory haired girl flipped back, summoning runes that propelled her back and out of Ruby's reach. She then propelled herself into the high into the air and held herself there with a rune. Ruby switcher to her gun and fired off a few rounds as Weiss hopped from one rune to the next. She then summoned an ice block and rolled onto it just as the younger girl nicked her arm.

The ice began to fall and Ruby fired into it but the bullets bounced off or got stuck within the ice. The younger girl rolled out of the way and Weiss jumped from it as the ice shattered on the ground.

Ruby fired upon the heiress but Weiss created a wall of ice, blocking the shots once again. The younger girl kept up the assault but the ice held strong.

Blake's placed a single hand on her chin. "This is beginning to stalemate." She observed looking to the screens, the bar barely inching down. "Neither one is making a definitive attack."

"They're both taking things slow." Yang said, watching her little sister continue to fire. "Neither wants to try and make a mistake, and while they've fought with one another before this is the first time they've done it against one another. Ruby's smarter than she looks, she's trying to force Weiss back into her range by keeping the heat on her." Her gaze then shifted to the heiress, huddling behind her ice barrier. "But Weiss is as calculating as they come. And if Ruby takes too long…"

The ebony haired girl nodded in understanding. "Then she's going to be in serious trouble."

Crescent Rose fired again, shards of ice flinging from the barrier. "C'MON! IS THIS ALL YOU GOT, PRINCESS!?"

Ice then shot out from the barrier, but it was thin, covering the floor, making it slippery. Ruby's footing began to go as she steadied herself on the near-frictionless surface. Weiss shot out from behind, runes appearing under her feet as she began to close the distance.

The heiress smirked as she thrusted towards the younger girl, but Ruby's footing suddenly became much more coordinated, changing Crescent Rose into its blade form and firing, causing her to spin around and slam into Weiss' side with the tang of her weapon.

The heiress managed to right herself before slamming into a wall, holding herself there as she held her side with a grimace.

"An interesting idea, to make Ruby lose her footing." Blake noted. "Ruby must have figured out Weiss' plan and used it to draw her in."

"Yeah, too bad Weiss didn't know that one of Ruby's favorite winter pass times was figure skating." Yang replied as she watched Weiss' bar take a big hit.

Myrtenaster clicked as Weiss switched dusts, pointing at Ruby as sprays of fireballs began to rain down. The younger girl began to move in smooth concentric circles along the icy stage as she gracefully dodged one after another.

"C'mon ice queen," She said as she continued to skate along what was left of the patches of ice. "You're not going to hit me from way up there."

The heiress' weapon clicked again and she smiled. "I know." She said as she lunged from her perch and landed on her weapon, balancing herself upon it as she held herself upside-down from the ground.

Ruby looked to her confusedly but then her eyes widened as she turned behind her, the barrier ice had been all but melted and it was now swirling about her feet.

With a single button push, lighting began to shoot from Myrtenaster, and Ruby braced herself with her aura as electrical shocks coursed through her.

Ruby's aura reading feel below half and she took a knee as Weiss righted herself, flipping in the air and landing on her feet.

"That was pretty cleaver, I got to admit." Blake said, her eyes looking to the younger girl.

"Ruby's usually better at battle tactics than this but she's let her pride get in the way." Yang replied. "She trying to prove that no matter what Weiss can throw at her she can take it, but she needs to start attacking instead of counter-attacking."

Weiss's weapon clicked again and dug it into the ground, a wave of ice appearing before her and heading towards Ruby. The younger girl quickly picked herself off and began to run, her semblance activating as she gained speed. But the ivory-haired girl was locked on as the ice-wave followed quickly behind the younger girl.

The ice wave eventually stopped as the stage was now surrounded with a wall of ice. Ruby then began to skate along that wall, her semblance causing her to gain speed as she became a blur on the wall. The wind began to pick up as a cyclone of air whipped up.

The heiress tried to summon another fire ball but as she prepared to launch it, the flame fizzled out and Weiss' eyes went wide as she suddenly fell to one knee, coughing violently.

"What's wrong with her?" Black asked.

Yang put a thoughtful hand to her chin. "Ruby used Weiss' ice to create an enclosed circular space and then a surface to enhance her speed. She then used those two things to run as fast as she could until she created her own wind current and cyclone, like before when we were picking up trash. But now that the cyclone is here, it's pulling all air within it to the outside."

The ebony haired girl looked to Weiss. "She's got no air, she's suffocating."

The blonde nodded. "If Weiss passes out, it's Ruby's win."

The heiress fell to her knees clenching her throat before finally falling face-down o the ground. The whirlwind died down and Ruby skirted to a stop, looking winded from the running but otherwise fine. After catching her breath, she cautiously walked towards Weiss. The heiress remained still; her head turned away from Ruby.

With the end of her weapon's snath, she tried to poke at her. But as fast as lightning Weiss' pale hand shot up and grabbed it, and she yanked down on it hard, pulling Ruby close as the heiress practically embraced her. "Gotcha." She whispered into her ear before the younger girl looked down, seeing a small glyph in the palm of Weiss' hand and pressed into her stomach.

_BOOM_

Ruby was sent flying through the air and tumbling across the stage as the heiress winced at the pain, clutching her hand, now visibly marked with scorch marks.

But Ruby wasn't done, as she clutched her stomach and using Crescent Rose like a crutch as she stood to her feet, Weiss, now also catching her breath drew up Myrtenaster and readied herself.

"They've both taken a lot of hits." Blake said observing how close each of them were to the threshold of losing.

"This is it." Yang said. "This will be the last clash to decide who wins and who loses."

The two crouched low, their muscles tightening and the last of their aura flaring before they simultaneously charged at one another, the two blows clashing as they passed one another.

There was a moment of silence.

Then two.

Three.

Ruby fell to her knees Crescent Rose falling beside her and Weiss stood tall, slowly sheathing her blade.

Glynda finally stepped in as Ruby's bar depleted below the ten percent line, her picture fading as Weiss' picture centered with "winner" written beneath. "The winner of this match is Weiss Schnee."

Blake and Yang ran up to the stage, watching as Weiss smugly crossed her arms and Ruby, on hands and knees, glared up at her. "You see, Ruby? You were _never_ my equal."

"Hey!" Yang said, as the heiress gazed over to her. "Lay off!"

"Ruby fought really well!" Blake said, also speaking up as the two of them got on stage.

The heiress looked from one to the other. "Oh, did she? Is that why she won? Is that why that big screen up there says 'Weiss Schnee: Winner'? Because she did well?"

"You came very close to losing." The ebony haired girl countered. "It could have gone either way and you know it."

"All I know is that I won, and I won because I'm better than she is." The heiress said pointing a finger towards Ruby. "A better student. A better fighter. A better huntress."

"Day in… day out…" Yang said, her fists tightening. "I've had to put up with this massive superiority complex from you. And I've let you go because I wanted to give you time to try and adjust yourself." The blonde then looked to her, eyes now red and hair aglow. "But it's not going to, is it? Not until someone _beats_ it out of you-!"

"Yang… just stop…" Ruby said as she weakly got from the floor. "She… she's not worth it…" The younger girl tried to stand but nearly fell as Blake rushed to her side, catching her and propping her up.

The blonde looked at her sister, her eyes and hair returning to normal. Weiss just turned up her nose at them. "'Not worth it'? It's _you_ who's not worth it." She said as she began to leave the stage. "Win by a hair' breadth or an ocean's winning is winning. And that's all that matters."

* * *

Torchwick clutched his side as he dashed into another alleyway, her could hear his pursuer right behind him.

"Friggin' huntsmen." He said as he fired off dust from his cane. "How's a guy supposed to make a dishonest living?"

He heard a chain flying through the air and ducked as it soared past and the weight on its end hit the wall in front of him. H turned left and looked behind him as the huntress who found him as beginning to close in. "Stop right there, Torchwick!" she shouted.

But the man did no such thing as he continued to fire behind him. "Hey! This stuff's mine fair and square!" He said indicating to the briefcase in his other hand.

"You stole that during a shipment!" The White-haired huntress said as she tried attacking him again with her kusarigama, the weight missing hm again.

"Well... yeah! But it was mine _after_ that!" He said, knocking over some trash and setting it on fire. The huntress jumped through the flames, her weapon changing into a automatic pistol as it fired off a few round at him, one of them nicking his shoulder, nearly causing the man to drop his briefcase.

Torchwick saw a rust fire escape and hatched an idea.

He fired upon it a few times and the thing came lose from the wall, smacking into the opposite building before beginning to collapse. The criminal masterfully avoided the falling debris as he watched it create a roadblock between him and his pursuer.

But to his dismay she jumped off of one piece of debris to the next as she made her way towards him. "Damn!" He said taking off again.

As he turned the corner tough his face blanched as he was met with a dead-ended ally. How had this happened? He knew the backstreets like the back of his own hand? How'd he let himself get this turned around?

"End of the line, Roman Torchwick." The Huntress said. Roman turned to face her, her short ivory hair waving in the breeze. "Drop the goods and put your hands up."

Torchwick turned around, giving a sneer. "Oh c'mon! You're a huntress! Shouldn't you be off, you know, hunting? What are you doing moonlighting as a cop?"

The huntress, with one hand, brought out her scroll, and Roman saw his mugshot staring at him from the other end of the dead-end. "You're a known criminal, Touchwick. And my job is to protect society from _all_ kinds of monsters. Besides, there's a hefty bounty for reliable information on you, I imagine it'll be an even better payday when I take you in…" she cocked the hammer on her weapon. "dead or alive."

"Woah, woah! Hold on now! Maybe we can work something out?" He asked. "You said you're looking forward to a payday, right? Just let me go, and I assure you, I can make it worth your while."

"Ha!" She said. "Even if I entertained that little notion, why would I trust you?"

Torchwick carefully, slowly, put his briefcase on the floor. "Look, I know I seem a bit… ahem… shall we say 'sketchy'? But These dust crystals are worth a pretty lien, let me go and you can have, say fifteen percent cut?"

"I wouldn't settle for less than half." She replied back.

"Half!?" He replied incredulously. "I risk my neck for these and I'm supposed to give half!? And I thought I was supposed to be the criminal!"

"You're the one asking me to put my career on the line for fifteen percent!" She shot back. "Forget it, drop the case and the cane on three or I will open fire. One…" she watched him clench his jaw. "Two…" He began to raise his cane and she fired.

She hit him right between his eyes, but where she expected blood gushing from the wound, something quite strange began to happen. His face began to crack and break apart, cracks forming along his entire body until he shattered into a million pieces of some strange shiny dust-like substance.

The huntress raised an eyebrow at this, cautiously approaching what was left and looking down at the substance before her. She bent down a picked up a single shard. "Is this… glass?" she asked aloud.

_SCHLEK_

The huntress looked down and saw a crimson blade sticking out from her chest before retracting. A single stream of blood flowed from her mouth before she fell to her knees and hit the ground with a dull thud.

Neopolitan shook the blood from her blade with a few swift slashes through the air before sheathing it into a parasol.

A clapping came from behind a dumpster as she turned to greet her Orange-haired caretaker. "Nicely done Neo, nicely done. Though, in the future, let's try to keep the homicide to a minimum, we don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves too fast."

Neo gave a look before falling to one knee in a coughing fit, Torchwick rushed to her side. "And while I do appreciate the save Neo, you shouldn't push yourself so hard." He picked her up on his back, piggyback style, beginning to walk out of the alleyways. "Now let's get you home and back to bed, trust me Neo, you're going to want to be full rested for the next heist I got cooked up."

* * *

**Done, Please Review.**


	10. Arc of Revelation

**Chapter 10, a double feature with 9**

* * *

**Arc of Revelation**

It was lunch now as Yang and Blake sat with Pyrrha and Jaune.

The red head gave a sympathetic look to her friend. Yang's hair seemed to be mirroring her mood, lacking its usual bounce and luster, looking messy and disheveled. She would have asked why, but she knew why, it was the same reason that her sister and the Schnee girl weren't here.

Ever since the battle Yang had spoken about how she'd tried to repair the lines of communications of XSBR, but they remained quite severed. The two had both resigned to ignore the other's presence completely as Ruby lost herself in the world of gaming and Weiss buried herself in her studies.

Frankly, Pyrrha was counting her lucky stars her own team's cohesion was nearly immediate.

"Really," Jaune said as he pocked at his vegetables, "I don't see what the big deal is. I mean Ruby's cool and Weiss is… nice. Why can't they just get along?"

"You haven't been around them like we have." Yang said miserably. "They're like cats and dogs. I don't know if it can get much worse."

Jaune finally skewered a piece of broccoli and ate, looking thoughtful. "How'd things got so bad?" he asked before swallowing. "I mean back in the forest they worked together, and it's only been a couple of weeks since then."

"Weiss is as high-strung as a violin and Ruby's childish tendencies have caused the former to blow up on the latter." Blake said, as she quickly devoured a piece of sushi. "But Ruby hasn't taken it lying down and retaliated, causing the friction between them."

"And now that the two have shut down, the only thing I can do is give them space until I come up with a plan." Yang said, shaking her head wearily. "Oh which, I have none."

Jaune looked thoughtful again. "You know, it's weird, when I watched them spar the other day, it didn't really feel like they hated one another."

Everyone looked to him. "What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, voicing the question the three had on their minds.

"Well," Jaune started, putting a hand to his chin. "It's just, it didn't feel like two girls who really hated one another. It felt more like they had stuff bothering them and they just took it out on one another. Like their anger just needed someplace to go." He then shook his head, now unsure. "But I don't know, maybe I'm just imagining it."

"I'm more surprised that you remember anything after that knock to the head Pyrrha gave you during your match." The ebony haired girl said dryly.

Yang perked up at that, giving a small smile. "Yeah, what was that like twenty seconds before she had you flat on your butt?"

The blonde boy's face hated up at that.

"It wasn't that bad!" Pyrrha said, perhaps a bit too quickly as Yang's gaze shifted o her. "I mean, he did his best."

But Jaune just shook his head. "Yes! I mean no, no I didn't I was just… feeling off, that's all. If I was feeling good, I could take on anyone."

Yang shifted her gaze back as an eyebrow raised. "Anyone?"

"_Anyone_." Jaune affirmed confidently.

Blake jabbed a thumb behind her where Cardin and his crew were eating lunch. "How about Cardin?"

The blonde boy looked over Blake's shoulder as the orange hair boy laughed obnoxiously at something. "Piece of cake."

The red head looked to Jaune and then to Cardin and back again. "Jaune, I don't think that's such a good idea. Cardin may be a bit… much for you."

Jaune scoffed, waving her off with a hand. "Oh, come one. How tough can he really be?"

* * *

Jaune rolled out of the way as another crushing blow from Cardin came at him. The blonde stood up as the orange-haired boy gave a smug look of satisfaction. Okay, Jaune thought, maybe he _was_ a little tougher than he thought.

Cardin came at him again, mace in hand and Jaune ducked beneath it as he rolled out of the way again. "C'mon!" Cardin said. "Fight me like a man!"

The blonde picked himself up again, raising his sword and shield, blocking the devastating blow with the later while striking with the former. Cardin's blow contacted the shield and Jaune felt his arm go numb as his nerves lit on fire. The blonde' blow landed but lacked any power as Cardin shrugged it off with his aura.

XSBR and the remining members of PVAR sat together in the stands. Ruby and Weiss sat on opposite sides of Blake filled the middle between them. Yang was herself between Ruby and Pyrrha who both looked worried for Jaune. Nora and Ren sat beside Pyrrha, grimaces on their faces.

"I think Jaune may have bitten off more than he could chew this time." Yang said as she leaned back in her seat. "Cardin's looking much better than when I fought with him at the last regionals."

Nora frowned as she held hands with Ren. "Jaune's running out of steam, Cardin's gonna come finish him off if Jaune doesn't do something."

"Jaune's not out of this yet, he could still pull it off." The red head defended, though her tone lacked confidence, something everyone present noticed.

"Jaune is losing confidence in this fight. I fear he may have realized himself, that the disparity in their abilities is too much to overcome." Ren observed sadly.

"Don't talk like that guys." Pyrrha said, looking to her teammates. "If his teammates don't believe in him, who will?"

"The real question is, does Jaune believe he can do it?" Yang asked.

Jaune continued to move around Cardin, trying to find an opening but the orange haired boy just turned with him, as if daring him to try and attack.

Finally Jaune charged him and Cardin brought down his mace, as Jaune rolled out of the way and jumped to try and attack Cardin's exposed side. But the orange hair boy smirked as he brought his mace around again and smacked Jaune in his shield.

"Augh!" He said, dropping the shield to the floor.

"Here it comes." Blake said.

"It's all over for him." Weiss observed dryly.

Cardin came with his mace lowered and knocked the sword from Jaune's hand before raising his mace up high and swinging it around, using the moment to his Jaune in his chestplate, knocking the air out of the boy as he was sent into the air before landing on his back, hard.

"Goodnight sweet Jaune." Yang finished sadly.

"JAUNE!" Pyrrha said jumping to her feet as she approached the stage, the rest of the group minus Weiss right behind her.

"The winner is Cardin Winchester." Glynda announced as Cardin's face center in the screen, winner now appearing beneath it. The Orange haired boy raised his mace, as cheers from the class, especially his own boys, went off.

Pyrrha climbed up on stage and rushed to Jaune's side. "Jaune! Are you alright?" She asked kneeling down beside him.

The blonde boy sat up slowly, gritting his teeth as he stood to his feet. "I'm… I'm fine." He said, faltering as he nearly fell to his knees.

Pyrrha moved to support him, allowing him to lean on her. "Jaune, you're hurt, you need to take it easy."

The blonde moved off of her. "I said, I'm fine."

The red head moved to try and help him again. "Jaune… please you need-"

"I said I'm FINE!" Jaune said a little too loudly as Pyrrha suddenly backed away, her eyes flying open with astonishment, the same astonishment evident on the rest of the group.

He looked to her, wanting to say something, then to the rest of the group, then he turned and walked off the stage and out of the room.

Pyrrha, regaining her sense ran off after him as everyone else watched, surprise still event on their faces.

* * *

Jaune hunched over the roof's edge, his elbows resting on the carved edges of the building as he watched birds fly, the sun setting in the distance.

He heard the roof door opening behind him but said nothing, just continuing to look on into the distance. Pyrrha came up and hunched over the edge, same as Jaune, though a bit of distance away. She said nothing and after a few minutes, Jaune finally sighed. "Is there something you want?" he asked wearily.

"One of my teammates ran out from his last class of the day. I thought I'd come up to check on him." Pyrrha replied as kind as ever.

The blonde looked away from her. "I… I'm fine. Just fine."

He noticed a feminine hand on his shoulder and turned to Pyrrha. "No, you're not. And I want you to talk about it with me."

He gazed at her for a moment before looking outwards again. "Maybe I don't."

The red head pulled on his shoulder until he was facing her and looked him in the eye. "I'm your leader, Jaune. I _have_ to know what's wrong with you."

Jaune looked in her eyes seeing she wasn't going to let this go and he let his shoulders drop, sighing. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

"The truth.' Pyrrha said, curtly, earning curious look from the blonde. "There's been a number of things about you Jaune that simply don't add up." He opened his mouth to reply, but she held up a single finger. "Don't bother spinning another tale, just listen. You didn't know what aura was, you have only the barest of understanding about hunter culture, and while you may have some potential at fighting it's still a far cry from what would be the bare minimum to enter a prestigious school like Beacon, so I will say it one more time. Tell. Me. The. Truth."

The blonde boy grimaced, turning back towards the sky. "Where do I even begin…" he said more to himself than to her.

"You could try the beginning." Pyrrha offered, taking her hand off his shoulder and lacing her fingers together over the edge. "That's never a bad place to start."

"You'd think, huh." Jaune said, sounding somewhat bitter now. He lowered his head, his hair falling over his eyes. "What I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone else."

Pyrrha nodded. "You have my word, Jaune."

"I guess I'll begin when I was a kid." He said, turning around so he was leaning against the edge. "I grew up with a large family, in the north, like _all_ the way north."

"Atlas?" Pyrrha asked, "But you don't seem…"

"I know." Jaune replied. "It took a lot of work to make it that way. Anyways, my family, we were once really important guys, or so my dad and granddad say, but we kind of fell out of favor when…" He shook his head. "Ah… that part doesn't matter, point is no one really liked us. Local kids would tease me and my sisters, other high rankers would look down their noses at us, stuff like that. So then, after a while, I get this idea that, my name doesn't have to define me, like the way everyone else in Atlas thought. I'd go out and make a name for myself, come back and prove them all wrong. Raise my family name from the muck." He then hung his head low. "But it wasn't that simple. I got across to Vale by stowing away on a boat, but when I got here, I had no idea how I would get to Beacon."

"You didn't think it through?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well, I was only thirteen at the time." He replied,

Pyrrha's eyes lit up at that. "Did you say thirteen?"

"Yeah, hard to believe right?' Jaune said with a slight chuckle. "So, there I was thirteen years old on the north end of Vale, but I had to make my way to Beacon, so I could become a great warrior. With no money and nothing to my name I worked odd job after odd job, doing stuff that not many other people would want to. For years I did this, until I had enough saved up that I could finally make my way to Vale, the uh, city this time. Then I got here and well, things didn't quite go to plan."

"What do you mean? You got here and you got into Bacon, I don't see…" Pyrrha trailed off as realization dawned on her. "You didn't, did you? You didn't get in."

"How could I have?" Jaune asked. "One of the most prestigious hunting schools in the world and I didn't for a second consider that I lacked any sort of qualifications. No training, no teachers, no school, nothing. There was no way I'd get in, at least not the… traditional route."

"You snuck into Beacon?" Pyrrha said, not for the first time in the conversation surprised. "How? Beacon's got to have one of the best screening processes imaginable."

"Oh, they did. I tried a number of times to get in myself, but I was no forger." The blonde explained. "So, I went to some seedy parts of Vale to seek some… expert advice. And I found this guy, he was amazing, new name, background, credentials, anything I could need and more. Hell, half the stuff I don't even know about he was so through."

"That can't have been cheap." Pyrrha noted.

"It wasn't, cost me nearly every lien I had just to get my foot in the door here." Jaune informed. "But now that I'm here, I've found nothing but trouble. Classes I barely understand and people who have been training for this kind of life since they were old enough to walk." He hung his head. "But what can I do? I got nowhere else to go, and if I fail here, or worse yet if anyone found out how I got here, that'd be the end for me."

Pyrrha shook her head in disbelief. "I… have to say Jaune, that's a lot to take in."

"Well," he said sheepishly. "You asked. So what now?"

The red head gave a smile. "Now we got to make you into a fine warrior."

This time it was Jaune's turn to look surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Jaune, you may not have come here through… ehm… traditional means, but if what you're saying is true, you've been through as much hardship as anyone here to try and achieve your dream." She started, grasping his hand. "And as your leader and friend, I only want to help you achieve that dream." His curious look grew as she continued. "Let me help you, I can train you to fight, help you use your aura and unlock your semblance. I can also work with you on your studies." Her smile grew. "What do you say?"

Jaune returned her smile, but his was weak and faltering. "I… I can't." he said finally, turning away and pulling his hand from her grasp.

"But why?" She asked.

"What I've done, I've done myself, for better or worse. If I succeed here, I want it to be because I did it on my own, with my own strength." He then looked off towards the horizon. "And if I fail, it's because I wasn't good enough, and I was never meant to be a great huntsman."

Pyrrha's smile faltered to a frown. "Jaune, no one 'makes it on their own' everyone gets help from time to time."

"Did you?" He asked. "When you won all those tournaments and were setting records or being on cereal boxes or whatever, did it happen because people were helping you do those things? Or did you work hard to get where you are, where you were?"

"Of course I worked hard." Pyrrha replied, her voice filled with sympathy. "But that doesn't mean I-"

"Look, Pyrrha, you're trying to help, and I'm grateful." Jaune interrupted, still looking off into the distance. "But I want to do this on my own, so please, just go and don't mention any of this to anyone."

The red head wanted to say more, but could see that he, at least for now, would no longer be swayed by her words. "Alright Jaune, if that's how you want it. Just know, I'm always here when you need help."

Jaune heard the roof door open and close and found himself alone with his thoughts.

For about four seconds.

"Well, well, well, isn't this a surprise." Came an entirely obnoxious and unpleasant voice that Jaune instantly recognized.

"Oh no…" Jaune said turning around to see Cardin, his arms cross as his trademark sneer donned his face. "Cardin!"

"The one and only."

"What are you doing here?" Jaune seethed as his somber attitude ignited with anger.

"Well, I'd heard through the grapevine that you were sulking on the roof after out little bout earlier today. I'd hoped that maybe you'd come up here to bawl your eyes out and I could get a recording of it." He then held up his scroll. "But what I got instead? _So_ much better."

Jaune felt the color drain from his face, taking a few steps closer to the orange haired boy. "Cardin, please, if there's even a _trace_ of a good person in you-"

"Then what?" He asked. "I should delete this recording and forget what I've heard? Now Jauney-Boy that just wouldn't be responsible of me, I mean to know that a student faked his credentials to get into the school and do nothing about it? Why, it would go against every ethical obligation I have. I mean what if this person is a dangerous criminal or something?" He shook his head. "No, no, I'd better show this to Ozpin _immediately_." He said turning on his heel and reaching for the door.

"WAIT!" Jaune said, falling to his knees. "Don't… please… this is all I have…"

"Outside of somehow making your way back to whatever ice hole you crawled out of in the north, right?" Cardin asked, stopping just short of turning the handle to the roof door. "Well, I suppose you seem like a nice enough guy… oh what they hey, consider my lips sealed."

The blonde couldn't believe his ears as he looked up to Cardin. "Thank you… thank you so much…"

Cardin walked until he was standing right before the kneeling boy. "There, there Jauney-Boy, what are friends for?" He knelt down so he was eye-level with Jaune. "In fact, I'd like you to do you another favor. See, the classes they have here? You were spot on; they can be really tough. So though in fact, some people might need extra practice. Don't you think you could use some extra practice?" Jaune was about to speak but Cardin cut him off. "So, here's the thing, me and my team? We'll give you _all_ the extra practice you need, you're going to do all the homework from all our classes for the rest of the time you and I are here at Beacon."

Jaune felt his heart sink. "But… you can't… that kind of workload's impossible!"

Cardin nodded his head. "I see, I see. Well, I wonder if Ozpin would feel the same way, in fact," he stood up turning back to the door. "let's go ask him, shall we?"

"STOP!" Jaune said relenting again. "I'll do it. Your homework. From now until graduation."

Cardin smiled maliciously. "Ah Jauney-Boy, I knew you were a good guy." He then opened the roof door. "Welp, see you tomorrow, buddy." He said, cackling as he descended the stairs.

Jaune, still on his hands punched the ground, gritting his teeth as he seethed with frustration.

* * *

**Done. Please Review.**


	11. In Preparation

**Chapter 11**

* * *

**In Preparation**

A week had come and gone since Cardin's discovery of Jaune's secret and already the blonde boy was feeling its fallout.

Day in, day out, he'd worked himself to the point past rational thought. Cardin and his cronies were piling on the work, also forcing him to run little errands for them on top of the initial homework agreement.

Suffice to say, the deal was getting worse and worse all the time.

Which was why the blonde boy found himself nodding off in his history class.

Something unfortunately for him did not go unnoticed by the ever watchful Oobleck.

_WHAM_

Jaune woke with a start, nearly falling over as his eyes shot open and he suddenly straightened up. "WHA-! Wh-what?"

The messy-haired man pushed up his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "I asked, Mr. Arc, what is the answer?"

The boy has no idea what the professor was even talking about and looked around to try and get some clue. The board at the front of the class was riddled with notes, but figuring it out while Oobleck was staring him right in the face was going to take too long. His eyes darted around when he saw Pyrrha out of the corner of his eye, making some sort of gesture when she held her hands up to her eyes in little half-circles.

"Uh… binoculars?" He answered, his tone reeking of uncertainty.

There was a small chuckle from the class around him and Pyrrha face-palmed while Yang put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Oobleck straightened up and backed off to the front of the class. "Very funny, Mr. Arc. But no, the _biological_ advantage that faunus had over humans during the Faunus Rebellion was not binoculars."

Jaune heard sniggering behind him and looked back to see Cardin looking down on him with that same smug look on his face. He shot a glare, but Cardin wasn't phased in the slightest as he held a single finger to his lips and gave a little wink.

* * *

After class PVAR were about to head to lunch went out of the corner of his eye he saw Cardin motioning him over, the blonde boy reluctantly snuck away from his team as he and Cardin rounded a corner. "What?" Jaune hissed.

"Now Jauney-Boy, you gotta treat your friends a little nicer, so cut the attitude." Cardin said, his voice vaguely threatening. He then took out a piece of paper, Jaune immediately recognized it as the homework he'd done a few nights ago. "So, what's the meaning of this?" He said pointing to it where a "B-" was in the top corner.

"I did the homework, just like you told me to." Jaune replied, his voice tired and worn.

"Now Jauney-Boy, when I wanted you to do my and my team's homework, I wanted it done well, 'A+' material, not 'B-', you get me?" He asked.

"What do you want from me?" Jaune asked in return, the fire in his eyes not quite gone. "I got the same grade for that homework it was hard."

"I don't want your excuses." Cardin said, pushing Jaune back against the wall. "Work _harder_. Or I'll make sure every last student at this school know what a little fraud you are." He said, his voice dripping with malice. "Understand, Jauney-Boy?"

The blonde boy glared at him but relented. "Yes… I understand. It won't happen again."

Cardin gave his wicked grin, patting the side of Jaune's face. "See? Now that's what I like to hear. See ya around, Jauney-Boy." The orange-haired boy said before walking off, with a chuckle.

Jaune watched him round a corner and slammed his fist against the wall in frustration, unbeknownst to him Pyrrha watched from a distance, concern clear in her eyes.

* * *

At lunch PVAR minus Jaune sat down at a table across from XSBR minus Ruby and Weiss.

Jaune had just gotten his meal when he spotted his friends at the table, he walked over giving them a weak reassuring smile. "Hey guys." He said.

Yang looked him up and down. "Hey yourself, you look terrible."

"Yeah, I uh, I've been having trouble sleeping lately." He replied; his tone shaded with weariness.

"Well don't just stand there." Nora said from between Pyrrha and Ren. "Pop a squat, kumquat."

"I would, but I got a lot of homework to be getting to." Jaune informed.

"Jaune, you've been working yourself to the bone these last few days. How can you possibly still have more work to do?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's just… I wanna make sure I really know the material, you know?" He replied, looking uneasily to everyone present. Pyrrha opened her mouth to speak but he quickly cut in. "A-at any rate, I gotta go. See you guys later." He finished before walking off with his food.

Yang watched her fellow blonde leave before turning and looking Pyrrha dead in the eyes. "Okay, what's happening with Jaune? He's been acting really strange lately."

The red-head met her gaze then shifted over to the exit doors. "I'm not sure, I actually thought he and I may have had a bit of a breakthrough lately, but now he seems more closed off than ever."

"And you haven't tried talking with him about it?" Yang asked.

"I did, but he asked me 'not to worry about it'."

"Which means you _are_ going to worry about it but do nothing further?"

Pyrrha actually frowned at her best friend. "Yang, what do you want me to do? Walk in and demand he tells me what's going on? What would that accomplish other than pushing him farther away? If he doesn't want to speak of it now, I'll let him choose when to do so."

Yang huffed, resting her head on her hand. "Man, this semester just won't let up will it? Ruby, Weiss, and now Jaune too. First semester here and new friends are already being broken apart by drama." She then straightened up and slammed a fist down on the table. "Well, I'm sick of it. We got to form some sort of plan to get us all back on speaking terms before it gets any worse."

Pyrrha shook her head. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to try anything. I mean what if we accidently just make it worse?"

Yang sighed. "Maybe you're right. But sitting back and doing nothing while my team implodes and a piece of yours drifts away, it just doesn't seem right." She then looked to her side at the ebony-haired girl. "At least Blake's begun to be a bit more social, huh, Beebee?"

Yang noticed Blake looking off across the lunchroom and followed her line of sight to Cardin, who as per the usual was picking on Velvet, pulling on her ears one again. "He's at it again, is he?"

PVAR, minus Jaune, looked over too. "Some people are just inconsiderate louts, and there's nothing anyone can do." Pyrrha said dismissively.

"We could go over and break his legs," Nora said, a smile playing on her lips. "I bet that'd change his tune."

Yang also smiled at that. "Hmm, assaulting a fellow student and getting suspended? I'm actually weight the risk-reward on that one."

Pyrrha, also giving a small smile. "Suspension? That'd be only if they didn't consider outright expulsion first, but I agree, the risk-reward here _is_ worth considering."

Blake suddenly reeled on them. "But why should it?!" she seethed. "He's harassing Velvet and getting away with it. Why is beating a bully a bad thing?"

"It's her own choice to be here, no one's forcing her to stay."

The group turned once again, noticing Weiss, her hands holding a shiny silver trey that held an expensive looking assortment of food. "Then again, why they even let Faunus in, I'll never know."

Blake glowered. "Weiss…" she said, practically hissing.

Weiss raised a brow. "What are you getting all worked up at me for? It's the truth. The Faunus Rebellion, the White Fang, it seems pretty clear to me that they don't want anything to do with regular people."

"The former of which only happened after the aftermath of the Great War because the Faunus saw it as perhaps their only chance to escape from slavery. And the latter of which formed because of continued prejudice against them." Blake shot back.

Weiss returned her glare. "Oh yes, thank goodness for the White Fang forming, they've made all their kind so much better by comparison. I mean your average person might not like faunus but at least they're not literal terrorists."

The ebony-haired girl clenched her fists. "The White Fang formed as a peaceful organization to try and better the lives for faunus."

Weiss gripped her trey tightly. "What they started out as is not my concern only what they are now. Which, again, is literal terrorists."

Before things could escalate further, a voice cut in from behind Weiss. "Hey guys, what's going on?"

Weiss' narrowed gaze turned to her. "As if the White Fang advocate wasn't enough, _you_ had to show up."

Ruby said nothing to that, only giving a furrowed brow and a frown.

Yang finally stepped in. "Look why don't we all just take a deep breath, sit down, and enjoy lunch?"

The heiress turned up her nose. "No, I think I'll eat my lunch elsewhere. The company here got somehow ever less desirable." She said, before turning on her heel and walking off.

Ruby watched her leave before sitting down herself her furrowed brow relaxing as she sat down for her lunch. The younger girl poked at her food, moving it around as she rested her head on one arm.

"Ruby?" Yang asked turning to her. "What's the matter?"

She turned her head looking at the rest of them while her head still rested on her propped up hand. "What? Didn't you guys hear?" She asked. Everyone looked lost so Ruby continued. "Professor Goodwitch finally gave in. She's looking for a replacement team for Weiss."

Everyone blinked in astonishment at that, none more surprised that Yang or Blake. "She is?" The blonde asked.

Ruby nodded and Blake crossed her arms. "Guess she finally got her way." The ebony-hair girl said. "But I thought you'd be happy at the news Ruby; I mean you guys _hate _each other."

The younger girl gave a sigh. "No, Blake. I don't. I don't hate Weiss at all, really."

"Why not?" She asked in return. "You guys bickered night and day and she does nothing but belittle you."

"I know," Ruby acknowledged with a nod. "but, I can't help but think back to the forest, you know? I mean, we took down a frickin' _Nevermore_. I just felt like there was something more to Weiss other than being a stuck-up little know-it-all, way way, _way_, deep down inside her. And as much as she pisses me off, I feel like I'm losing the chance to ever find out if I was right."

Yang and the rest gave sympathetic looks. "Ruby…" Her sister said, beginning to reach out.

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "You know what, I'm actually not that hungry. I'll… I'll see you guys later." She finished before getting up and starting to walk away. But before she was out of earshot she turned back. "Oh, right. Blake?"

"Yes?"

"We're still going to town to get supplies for the Forever Fall trip, right?" she asked.

Blake nodded and the younger girl returned the gesture before continuing her sullen walk.

Yang pounded her fist on the table. "Alright, that's it." She said wheeling around on Blake and the remaining member of PVAR. "It's a Friday evening and I say we do it up in style. There's a hot new club in town that's just perfect for reliving some stress. What do you say guys, wanna join me?"

Blake was the first to speak up. "Um, sorry, Yang. I gotta start making a list for the Forever Fall trip, to make sure I don't forget to buy anything."

Pyrrha nodded. "Yeah, I got to do some shopping for the trip as well, so making a list doesn't seem a bad idea."

Ren and Nora appeared to be whispering to each other and after a few seconds a clearly disappointed looking Nora turned to her. "Sorry, Yang. Ren and I already made plans for tonight and he's not budging."

The blonde just shrugged, standing up from the table. "Hey, your loss guys. I'll tell you how it went."

* * *

Ruby and Blake found themselves walking the streets of Vale, the black-haired girl took a look at the list and frowned. "I don't know Ruby, this is a lot supplies and we're not exactly rolling in it right now."

The younger girl shrugged. "What can you do? Our team was determined to be 'below expectations' in our survival course and we only got ten thousand lien, maybe we could ask the princess for a small loan."

Blake shook her head. "As if she'd agree to that." She said chuckling before her voice grew a bit cold. "Maybe it'll be for the best if Weiss goes to a new team, might be better than trying to change her mind when it's already so set in its ways."

Ruby, deciding now was the time for a subject change, spotted something out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, check it out. A book store!" she said pointing to it.

The two walked up to the large bay window, looking in at the books on display. After a few seconds Ruby's face fell. "Shoot, they don't have the new _Princess of Thorns_ here yet."

Blake looked at Ruby curiously. "You've read the _Princess of Thorns_ books?" she asked.

The younger girl blushed, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. "Well, I uh, I might have borrowed the book from you."

Blake put a hand to her chin. "Huh, I was wondering why the bed suddenly looked like it was slanting to one side." She then eyed Ruby. "Still, I didn't think that kind of thing would interest you, I mean it's not exactly fairy-tale stuff."

Ruby smiled thinly. "No, it isn't. But I thought about what you said when we first met."

The ebony-haired girl raised a brow. "When we…?" She then recalled the conversation, her face growing a bit more surprised. "Oh, I see."

"I know Life's not a fairy-tale. But then even old fairy-tales were never mean to be fairy-tales, you know?" She said, her eyes looking off into the distance. "I mean, _Little Carmine Cloven Cloak_,_ Masculinity and the Monster_,_ Ivorylocks and the Three Wolverines_, they were all _way _more hardcore in their earliest versions. It just goes to show you were right, the world can be a scary, unforgiving place."

Blake frowned at that. "I didn't mean to-"

Ruby held up a hand, stopping her. "But you know, over the years, people stopped telling them to scare kids into doing chores and did it more for the fun of telling stories. And I guess I just find it cool how something fun and for0kids could come from stories like that." She then held her arms wide, as if giving the sky a hug. "And it just makes me think, if the world is really as bad and scary as those stories once were, does that mean that huntsman are the guys to make it more fun and kid-friendly?" She shook her head, chuckling to herself. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling on about nothing."

Blake gave a half smile. "No, it's a nice thought. And who knows, maybe one day they'll write stories about us."

Ruby giggled at that. "Heh, maybe."

* * *

Yang awoke to the feeling of cold water suddenly being splashed on her, her eyes blinked open and saw she was face up in a bath-tub, her clothes from the night before now pressing quite keenly to her as the shower head above her was pouring freezing water down on her.

"Alright guys, clear out. I got this." Came a familiar voice.

Yang looked towards it, putting hand up to stop the water from hitting her face. She saw from behind a show curtain an all too familiar silhouette. The curtain pulled back, revealing a none-too-impressed Coco, who had uncharacteristically shed her aviators as she glared down on Yang.

"Coco?! Is that you?! What the hell?!" Yang asked as she stood up. "Why are you-?"

Coco pushed her back down and held her there for a second before reaching over with her other hand and turning off the shower. She got off of Yang's chest and allowed her to rise a bit as she looked up to Coco, hate in her eyes as she tried to push the heavy blonde hair from her eyes.

"Well, well, well, partying, smoking, boozing, you are just the total party-girl package aren't you?" The older girl asked, crossing her arms as she sat on the toilet across from the tub.

The blond pushed her hair out of her eyes, holding it back so it wouldn't spring forward on her again. She looked around, she was in a bathroom that was for sure, and judging from the design she was in Beacon.

All the stranger since she didn't remember returning to campus last night.

"Where am I? Is this my dorm?" She asked.

"No, it's mine." Coco informed, getting out her scroll. "Yatsu found you passed out in a pile of garbage behind some new party palace. I told him to bring you here, and then when I'd thought you'd slept enough of it off, I woke you up."

"You're... no… that can't be-" Yang began but stopped as Coco held up her scroll, showing correspondence between her and Yatsuhashi, as well as a picture of herself lying in a bag of garbage.

Coco put the scroll away. "Now that you're awake I 've got to ask, what drove you to try and go that hard partying while your team continues to blow itself apart? Or is that perhaps the reason itself?"

Yang glared at her before looking away shamefully. "I give up."

Coco blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I said 'I give up'." She repeated. "I'm tired of trying to fight. I have no idea what to do, I do something and things get worse, I do nothing and things get worse. I give up."

The older girl nodded. "Yeah, I did catch wind of that Weiss girl trying to switch teams. So, that's it then? Packing it in? Just going to go down and booze the problems away?"

The blonde girl gave a weary nod. "I see." Coco said before reaching over and turning the shower on again.

"AUGH! DAMN IT!" Yang yelled trying to shield herself from the ice water. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Trying to wake you up!" Coco replied over the pouring water. "There's a team that needs you out there and I'm not letting you quit on them!"

"But they-!"

"No! No more excuses!" Coco said finally turning the water off. "You got the chops for this job and it's a bunch of crap that you're giving up so easily."

"But what if I-"

"If you screw up, you screw up." The older girl replied, reaching behind her and offering the girl a towel. "You're only human, Yang. But when you fail you got to try again."

"So what should I do? If I jump in and try and get in the middle of everything, I could end up screwing up everything and-"

"Oh, who called the whambulance?" Coco asked rolling her eyes. "Look, you're right. You jump in at the wrong time and you could make things a hundred times worse," She then held up a finger. "But if you know just when to jump in, you can make things a thousand times better."

"And how will I know?" Yang asked, drying herself off with the towel.

"You'll know, trust me, I've got a good instinct for sussing out others with good instincts." She said, opening the door to her bathroom. "Now, get back to your own dorm, get some actual sleep, and figure this crap out."

The blonde picked herself up form the tub, wrapping the towel around herself, but stopping at the doorframe. "Thanks for giving me that kick in the pants."

Coco put on her shades and gave a smirk. "Hey, it's what I'm here for."

* * *

Ruby stepped out of the store and sighed, they didn't have the brand of trail-mix she was looking for here either.

It especially sucked considering that this was already the fourth store she'd tried.

Blake had suggested that they try and split thelist and money to get the stuff twice as fast, but Ruby had only gotten a handful of the stuff she;d wanted and it'd been a hour since they split up.

"Man, I wish I knew this city better." She lamented.

"Ruby! Is that you?!"

The dark-haired girl turned around and much to her surprise saw the charmingly strange friend she'd made the other day.

"Penny, it's good to see you." Ruby said with a kind smile.

"And you as well." Penny replied giving a little bow.

"So, what are you doing out and about? And where'd you go last time?" The shorter girl asked.

Penny's smile faltered to half. "Ah, that. Yes, I do suppose an explanation would be in order." She began as they started to walk down the street together. "You see, after the incident with Weiss Schnee, I decided to remove myself and self-evaluate so that I might better learn from my experience, what I did wrong and how to respond to such a situation."

"Oh, alright then." Ruby said. "And what are you doing out and about now?"

"Just acquainting myself with the city." She replied. "Though, in retrospect, it is pointless considering I've already got the map in my files."

"Sorry? What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

The strange girl tapped the side of her head. "My files, right here. I've got information on this entire city and every building within."

"Wow," The shorter girl responded. "I'm impressed, I could never memorize all that."

Penny gave a smile at that, albeit somewhat strained. "Ah yes, 'memorized' that is what I meant." Before Ruby could inquire further she spoke again. "And you, Ruby Rose? What brings you back into the streets of Vale?"

Deciding to ignore the first name, last name speech of hers Ruby replied. "Ah, well, Beacon's got a trip coming up and I'm gathering supplies." She then scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Though I guess I'm having a little trouble finding a few things."

"May I see?" Penny asked.

"Sure." Ruby handed the list to her and the dark-haired girl could swear she literaly saw Penny's eyes light up for a second.

The strange girl then pointed down the street. "The first uncrossed item on your list can be found down this way." She said.

"Wow," Ruby said, impressed. "I guess you really do know every building in the city. Alright, lead the way."

Penny nodded and walked on Ruby behind her and within ten minutes they were in front of a small little shop that Ruby would never had guessed to look in. "Wow, I never even noticed this place. Are you sure they have the stuff I need?"

Penny paused for a second before answering. "Yes, their stock should be no less than half full based on their sales records of the item you need."

Ruby was about to inquire how Penny knew this place's personal sales records when she spotted a familiar red-head just exiting the shop. "Pyrrha!"

The red head stopped, looked up and smiled. "Oh, Ruby, how nice to see you." She then looked to the orange-haired girl beside her. "And…?"

"Oh," The younger girl said jabbing a thumb over towards Penny. "This is Penny."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny said, her smile as bright as the sun.

"And you, I'm Pyrrha." The red-head replied introducing herself. She then looked around before turning back to them. "Say, have either of you seen Jaune around?"

Penny looked puzzled but Ruby replied. "No, I don't think we have."

Crestfallen, Pyrrha's smile faded. "Oh, I see."

"Did something happen?" Ruby asked worried.

Pyrrha suddenly put up her hands. "Oh, no, non, it's nothing serious. He just said he needed to make a personal purchase and that I should go on without him to get our Forever Fall supplies," Pyrrha said holding up a bag. "But that was nearly two hours ago and he's not picking up my scroll calls."

"Well, it's Jaune, I'm sure he's fine. I mean Vale's not even that big a city, not like you could get lost right?" Ruby asked.

* * *

Jaune sighed, slapping his scroll. "Stupid thing, going on the fritz just because I sat on you a couple times." He grumbled. He'd been out shopping for his blackmailer and cronies for nearly two hours now, and was running low on cash, if he kept it up he'd have not a single lien to his name. The orange haired jerk hadn't even had the decency to give him some money for the errand, nope just buying something with his own lien. He swore if he ever got the chance to get back at Cardin he'd take the very first opportunity.

Still, what could he do? Cardin held all the cards and Jaune didn't have a single move to make against him.

Jaune's gaze was suddenly drawn by something from his peripheral vision, it was Blake coming out of a nearby store.

Blake… Jaune thought, he knew she had some stealthy tricks up her sleeve. And he knew she hated Cardin's guts. Maybe… just maybe he could do something with that.

He brainstormed for a few moments before something hit him.

Something so obvious that If he'd though of it himself he'd have already tried.

Perhaps all he needed was the right inspiration.

He then looked at Blake with a smile. But why pull it off alone and fail when you could have a partner in crime to even the odds?

"Blake!" Jaune called out to her, as he ran over.

The ebony-haired girl turned towards him, looking somewhat curious. "Oh, Jaune. Can I… help you?"

"Yes, yes you can." He said, still beaming. "I need your help with something."

She turned towards him now, crossing her arms. "What kind of 'something'."

The blonde got closer, whispering. "Something sensitive, secret, and somewhat illegal."

Blake narrowed her eyes and turned. "Yeah, I think I'll pass thanks."

"But wait you don't-"

She shot him look. "Look Jaune, I barely know you. You're like a friend of a friend, at _best_. Now you're asking me to help you with something possibly _illegal_?" She shook her head. "Just stop, and leave me be." She said walking away from him.

"But wait! You haven't heard the best part!" He called after her as she continued to walk away. "It'll let us screw over Cardin!"

Blake stopped dead in her track, turned on her heel and quickly walked back until she was a foot away from Jaune. "You have thirty seconds, go."

"Alright, listen," Jaune said, beginning to explain. "Cardin's got dirt on me and he's been forcing me to do his bidding. That's why I've been looking so ragged this past week, because he's running me into the ground." He then held up a finger. "But, with your stealth skills, and my plan, we have a chance to make Cardin wish he'd never messed with me." He then pointed at her. "I know you think he's slime too, help me out from under his thumb and screw him over at the same time, what do you say?"

Blake cupped her chin and closed her eyes. "Fine. What do you need me to do?"

* * *

**Done. Please Review.**


	12. Eternal Autumn

**That was a nice vacation. Welp, back to our scheduled programming**

* * *

**Eternal Autumn**

"Wow…" Ruby said gazing at the sight around her. "It's all so… pretty."

Ruby wasn't the only one admiring as they walked through and the forest of Forever Fall was a sight to behold indeed. Red Leaves fell from the trees nearly everywhere one went, but mysteriously no piles ever formed and no tress were ever left bare.

Professor Goodwitch addressed the teams of XSBR, PVAR, and CRDL. "Yes, students. The forest is indeed beautiful, but we're not here to sightsee. Professor Port has asked all of you to collect sap from the trees deep inside their forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you are harmed in the process."

Jaune was brining up the back, having been "volunteered" by Cardin that'd he'd be happy to do it. The rest of PVAR had tried to argue against this but the blonde boy had quickly stepped in before they could and informed that'd he been happy to help out.

Unfortunately, with so many jars in the way he also couldn't see and bumped into Cardin right in front of him, nearly knocking all the glass to the leafy floor. The orange-haired boy had given him a glare as Jaune put down the jars but said nothing as Goodwitch continued.

"I must also advise you that there have been sighting of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to be vigilant and stay with your teams. We will reconvene where we arrived at four o'clock. Other then that, enjoy yourselves, it's a beautiful day." Her green gaze shifted over to XSBR. "You four, might I have a moment of your time before you go?"

The four girls did as they were asked, staying behind while PVAR and CRDL walked off deeper into the forest.

"Now, as you know, due to Ms. Schnee's insistence there will be a special team swap where she will be transferred to another team and a replacement member will be found." Goodwitch said pushing up her glasses. "But, due to the unusual nature of this request, it will take time and in the interim you are all still teammates, and I expect you to attempt to have some semblance of team cohesion."

"Yes."

"I understand."

"Alright."

"I promise nothing."

"Very good then, dismissed." Goodwitch said snapping her riding crop.

XSBR began to walk off after the other two teams and Weiss walked a bit apart from the rest of them, her pace rigid and quick. "I can't say I'll be sorry to leave this sorry band of louts and children, but really I belong with my peers."

Yang and Blake furrowed their brows, opening their mouths to say something when Ruby of all people jumped in. "You know Yang, I think I have an idea."

Yang closed her mouth for a moment and looked to her sister. "Yeah? What's that?"

"I think Weiss should take point on this one." Ruby said simply.

The blonde and ebony hair-ed girls gave looks of mild surprise, but Weiss' face twisted with suspicion.

Yang exchanged looks with Blake who just gave a small shrug and then looked to the heiress. "Alright Weiss, you're calling the shots, what's first?"

The ivory-haired girl's eyes shifted to Ruby but after studying her face and sensing no scheme she spoke. "Very well," Weiss said picking up one of the jars. "If we want to get this done as quickly as possible, we should head in this direction, the slightly warmer temperatures will make the sap flow much quicker." She said walking off in that direction.

The three glanced at one another before grabbing their own jars and following along.

* * *

The hours passed and XSBR was just about done, Yang and Blake were a little ways away as Ruby and Weiss topped off the last of their own jars.

"Wow," Ruby said, clearly impressed, angling her hands as far away from herself as she could so the sap was nowhere near her. "that sap just came right off like a water fountain."

Weiss gave the sap a whiff, a small satisfied smirk dancing across her lips. "Yes, this is high-quality too. I'm sure the professor will approve."

"And all thanks to you." Ruby noted, as she screwed her own jar shut. "How did you know? Did you look it up online?"

Weis' eyes suddenly seemed unfocused, looking at the jar, but not. As if she was trying to peer through it. "No."

The younger girl gave a puzzled look. "Then where?"

"Are you really that interested?" She asked, still not looking to her.

"If you're okay with sharing it." Ruby said, giving a small shrug.

Weiss was slow to answer, though whether that apprehension was from not wanting to share or the heiress simply trying to think back the younger girl couldn't be sure. "My family, we have an orchard with trees like these."

"I guess that explains why you know about the trees." The younger girl said, putting her jar down as she wiped a bit of sap off her fingers in the grass, still wet with dew. "Still, what could you need the sap from the for?"

Weiss seemed distant as she answered. "My… my mother, she used it. Used to gather it, the resin of the tree too and make things with it."

"Make things?"

Weiss shrugged the distant look still in her eye. "Yes, she would make sweet smelling candles from the resin and make syrup and glazes for sweets. It was a hobby of hers, she loved plants and she taught me how to do those things too."

The younger girl's face lit up, both at Weiss' sudden opening and at the thought of sweets. "Wow, that, that sounds really good, and really cool. You mom sounds amazing."

The heiress' eyes went dark as well as distant now and she gave a sigh before sighing, picking up her sap and saying something quietly, to the ground. "Yes, she was."

* * *

Cardin and his crew kicked back and relaxed, allowing the balmy breeze to caress their faces as they sat in the shade. While they were taking a break, Jaune would be on his way with their A plus material, least it'd better be if the blonde little toad knew what was good for him.

The orange haired boy looked to the rest of his men, all similarly relaxed. None of his underlings knew why Jaune was suddenly at their beck and call, but none of them seemed to much care either outside of the initial questioning of it.

No, this juicy tid-bit he wanted to save for himself, least one of the others use it for something themselves.

Cardin's eyes shifted as he heard rustling through the tree.

Speak of the devil…

Jaune came into the clearing, but what Cardin saw in his hands made the arrogant boy livid.

Four empty jars hit the ground, one after another while Jaune held a one filled to the brim with the sap, while the other four remained dry as a bone.

Cardin jumped up right to his feet, getting right into the blonde's face as Cardin's cronies got up, looking confused as to why their jars were empty. "What is this Jauney-boy? Where's our sap."

To buffer boy's surprise the string-bean just shrugged his shoulder. "I dunno Cardin, I guess the trees I found were just out of sap?"

Cardin's eyes flicked down to the full jar Jaune had. "And this?" He asked, barely containing his fury.

The blonde boy sort of hid it away from Cardin. "It's all I could manage."

"After an hour and a HALF?!" He asked in reply, the last word coming out like a snarling bark. Cardin shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "Unbelievable…" he said as he walked away from Jaune, pacing. "You useless, lanky, loser! There's less than an hour to get our sap and you come back to us with this?!"

The blonde saw the other members of CRDL begin to circle him as Cardin's face twisted with malice. "Yeah… there is… so you guys should get on it."

Cardin's anger was then diluted by confusion. "What did you say to me?" his words coming out low and threatening.

Jaune took a breath, and his back straightened. "I said 'You guys should get on it'. I'm done taking orders from you." He then looked around at the other members of CRDL. "From _any_ of you."

Cardin's goons looked to him, clearly wondering why this spineless little blonde toad was suddenly having the gall to talk to them like that.

CRDL's leader crossed his arms, his expression calming as it turned sinister. "So, standing up for ourselves, are we?" He said, giving a slight chuckle. "This that this is the part where I back down and you get off scot-free?" His chuckling stopped as he stepped closer, his eyes practically glowing with menace. "No, that's not how this goes down Jauney-boy. If you don't do as I say, Ozpin gets to know first thing tomorrow that there's a faker in the midst, and your life here is over."

Cardin expected the blonde to quickly fold after that but to his surprise Jaune's determined look didn't leave his eye. "I don't think so. See, I got a little something myself that I think you'd like to hear Cardin."

The buff boy eyed him curiously. "And what's-" He stopped and looked off towards the distance. His eyes narrowing before widening as the sinister smile came creeping back across his face. "You know what Jauney-boy? Hold that thought and follow me." Cardin looked to his cronies and with a jerk of his head the others began to follow along as the three creeped up on an overlook.

Below CRDL and Jaune the rest of PVAR sat, talking about something incoherent from this distance aside from Nora's voice which was boisterous enough to nearly drown out the other two.

Cardin sneered. "I thought I heard that annoying girl's voice." He motioned to the ground and the other members of CRDL followed his lead as their leader grabbed Jaune around the arm and dragged him to the ground with them.

"What-" Jaune began to ask as Cardin pulled out a rather unhappy box as it buzzed loudly and angrily. "What is that?"

"Rapier Bees." The obnoxious boy replied. "Managed to collect them from a rather nasty nest I found in one of the trees on campus." He then looked to Jaune, a malicious glint in his eye. "And you're going to set them lose on your teammates over there." His grin grew wider, teeth now showing. "And considering how covered they are in sap from all that work they've been doing, these babies will take to them like… well… like bees to honey."

They all backed off from the edge and stood up. Cardin held out the box. "All you got to do, is walk down there, open the box and the bug will take care of the rest." He finished with a chuckle, the rest of CRDL joining in. The bulky boy held out his hand. "Here, I'll hold on to the sap there while you're busy. And after you get back you can get us more sap… or else."

Jaune took the box of bees, looking from them to Cardin before promptly turning around and chucking the box as far as he could, the box sailing into the distance before landing, the box breaking out and the insects buzzing furiously for a few moments before dispersing into the trees.

Cardin's face went from tomato to firetruck as his eyes narrowed. "What are you-?!"

_CRASH_

The furious boy blinked, looking down to his breastplate, now covered in jam then back to Jaune and his outstretched hand. The lanky boy stood up straight, a fire in his eyes. "I am _done_, Cardin. You hear me, DONE!"

The rest of CRDL exchanged shocked looks before turning to their leader, who practically shook with an inner fury barely contained. If it were possible all present were sure that literal steam might be coming from Cardin's ears. But instead of exploding, his hands suddenly relaxed and he said only two words. "Take him."

The rest of CRDL shook from their daze as two of them apprehended each of Jaune's arms while the other stood behind, kicking him in the buttocks forward.

The five walked off deeper into the woods as Pyrrha looked up curiously, thinking she'd heard something but then shrugging as she resumed attempting to stop Nora from devouring their hard work.

* * *

_WHAM_

Jaune's knees buckeled under him and he began to fall but Dove and Sky held him up.

Cardin shook his fist a bit. "Huh, your aura's a bit tougher than I thought, but from the looks of it the message is stil getting across.

_WHAM_

The orange haired boy's fist slammed into the side of Jaune's cheek. The blonde looked up, defiance still in his eyes. His spat on the ground in front of Cardin as blood ran from a busted cheek. "That all you got?"

The bulky boy cracked his knuckles. "Oh Jauney-boy, you and me and just getting started. Once I'm done teaching you some respect for your betters, Ozpin's gonna get the full story about you and then you can kiss this place and your dreams of being worth anything more than the pathetic loser you've always been goodbye."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "Better I get kicked out than spend the next four years of my life putting up with you and your pack of morons here." He then put his feet back under him and stood a little straighter. "But if you think I'm leaving here alone, after all you've done? You've got another thing coming."

Cardin's eyes shifted with interest. "And what exactly do you mean by-"

_RAAAOOOOWWW!_

The boys all stood stock-still as a dark creature came shambling out from the underbrush. Its black fur and bony spikes in its fur and skull mask bristled in the breeze, its red eyes pulsating as it looked towards them.

"Is… is that a…?"

"URSAA!"

Russel, Dove, and Sky, the later of two who were holding Jaune in place, immediately dropped him and ran for their lives into the brush.

Their leader called after them, his mace raised. "Wait! Get back here, you cowards!"

_RAAAOOOOWWW!_

The two boys got to their feet as the ursa charged.

* * *

Yang stuck her finger in her jar, pulling out a smidge of jelly and devouring it. "Wow, Nora was right. This stuff _is_ good."

"AHHH! HELP! HELP!"

XSBR looked over towards the commotion just in time to see three-fourths of CRDL burst out from the underbrush. "Help! HELP US!" Russel wailed, the other two similarly babbling.

"Whoa whoa!" Yang said holding up a hand as the boys came to a halt. "Slow your roll, mohawk. What's your deal?"

The green-haired boy pointed behind them "*pant* Grimm, *pant* grimm attack! *pant* Cardin! *pant* in trouble!" he said, gasping for air between nearly each word.

Blake crossed her arms. "Pfft, serves him right. Let him stew I say."

Before anyone else could respond PVAR, minus Jaune, broke through the trees, Pyrrha on point while a sickly-looking Nora and Ren, who held her up on one shoulder, followed slowly behind.

"We heard screaming. What's going on?" The amazonian quickly asked.

"Seems Cardin and his little entourage ran into some of the local grimm." The blonde replied.

_AAAAAHHHHHH!_

Pyrrha's head snapped in the direction of the scream. "That was Jaune!"

Russel nodded furiously. "Yes, yes! He's there too!"

"We we… we gotta go…" Nora said before her face went pale and her cheeks turned pale. "We gotta… *HURK*… help them…"

Ren knelt down and the normally upbeat girl was slowly lain on the ground. "Whoa there, no, Nora. You're in no shape to fight."

The orange-haired girl shook her head slowly. "No… no, I'm *HURK*" She finished as she held a hand to her mouth.

Pyrrha looked to her then to her thin male counterpart. "Ren, watch over her, and for goodness sake make sure she doesn't eat any more tree sap." Ren nodded.

Yang looked to Russel then raised her voice addressing everyone. "Alright! C'mon you guys! Let's move!" She ordered pointing in the direction CRDL had come from.

* * *

Ruby, the fastest of the bunch, was the first on the scene. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on Cardin, flailing at the ursa rather ineffectually. The beast seemed rather unperterbed as it slowly creeped in on him. The young girl then saw Jaune nearby, looking rather unsure of what to do himself.

The four other girls appeared just then, looking winded at having to try and keep up with Ruby's speed. The dark-haired girl turned to them. "Guys! I got a plan!" She pointed to Blake. "Blake! Hold back and watch out back!" She then pointed to the red head and the blonde. "Yang! Pyrrha! Get our flanks!" Finally, her finger rested on Weiss. "Weiss! With me!"

The heiress looked from the ursa to Ruby. "What are you talking about? We should just rush it now while we have the element of surprise!"

Ruby shook her head. "No! That won't work! Trust me! I have an idea." She pointed behind the grimm to the cliffside in the distance. "We're gonna lure it over there and push it off."

Weiss looked at her. "Yeah? And who's going to tackle the grimm?"

"I am." Ruby said. "I 'll charge at it with my semblance and hopefully its enough to push him off."

"There's no way you'll pull that off by yourself."

Ruby nodded. "I know. It's why I need you to help me." She then turned to Jaune. "All we need is an opening."

Pyrrha, having heard the plan, shouted over to the blonde. "Jaune! Lure it towards the cliff!"

He nodded, running towards the grimm whose focus was still on Cardin and began to bang his sword against his shield rather loudly. "Hey! Hey! Over here!"

The ursa looked up form its prey and eyed Jaune curiously, giving Cardin enough time to roll away out from under the beast and flee. The boy continued to goad the monster and it began to follow the blonde towards the cliff.

Weiss prepared a glyphs as Ruby got down into position. "Almost… almost…"

The ursa got down, its legs tensing.

Ruby's eyes opened wide. "Now!"

Weiss released her stop=glyph and Ruby shot forward as the ursa charged Jaune, the blonde took a step backward and began to fall as the ursa stopped its pursuit at the edge. Only to be immediately pushed over as the girl-shaped cannonball known as Ruby crashed into it and sent it over the edge with the boy.

"AHHHhhh…" Jaune began screaming but then looked around, noticing he was actually floating several feet form the cliff. He looked down and watched the grimm tumbled off the rocky wall of the cliff before finally falling into the sea.

Pyrrha, her hands glowing with a sort of dark-aura pulled towards herself as if she was reeling in a fish and Jaune slowly came back before falling on his butt.

"Was that Pyrrha semblance?" Blake asked.

Yang nodded. "Polarity." She replied, crossing her arms with a smile. "Pyrrha can induce magnetic fields around her to repel and attract metal."

Ruby dusted herself off, walking past Jaune and peering over the cliff, making sure the danger had passed before coming face to face with a rather annoyed looking heiress.

"What were you thinking?!" She asked. "You could have gotten Jaune killed or yourself or both of you."

Ruby stood her ground this time. "My plan was fine and it went off exactly as I intended it to."

"It was hugely unnecessary!"

"No, it was _absolutely_ necessary."

"How? We could have just all jumped in and taken it down."

"Only if it was a minor, and then we would have had other problems."

Weiss' ager dissipated at that. "What?"

"An Ursa _Minor_ would have been no problem to take down." Ruby clarified. "Their hides and bony carapaces are less thick than their bigger counterparts the Ursa Major. Trouble with that is that unlike the majors who are lone hunters, minors are pack predators, meaning that if that had been a minor there were likely more around, which was why I had Blake Yang and Pyrrha cover our back and flanks, in case there were more. Luckily, I was right, it _was _major, but that has it own problems. For one the thick hide and carapace meant that had we all simply rushed it, our attacks would have been largely ineffective, therefore I had to make adjustments to make sure we won, like knocking it over this cliff."

Weiss for once was rather speechless. She had not expected Ruby to think so quickly and so tactfully, nor had she expected so eloquent a response.

Blake, Yang and Pyrrha watched it unfold each with a bit of amusement. "I think your sister has left Weiss rather surprised." Pyrrha said.

"She's full of surprises that one. Ruby might be a little clumsy with people and studies, but when she's in battle that girl's mind focuses like that." Yang said with a snap of her fingers.

* * *

Jaune walked over to Cardin, the boy now having calmed down and offered a hand to him. Cardin looked at it with suspsion but took the hand anyways. "Thanks." He said curtly.

"You're welcome." Jaune replied, his tone equally as dry. "Now as long as I got you here, there's something I got to tell you Cardin."

"Yeah? What's that?" The arrogant boy asked, his usually smugness already setting back in. "You think this makes us even? That I have to let you off the hook? Not a chance, Jauney-boy."

"Not quite." Jaune said with a small smirk, pulling out a small flash drive from his pocket. "Know what this is?" He asked.

"No, why would I?"

"It's the program that was used to input me into the system, and here's the real kicker." He said leaning in closer. "If I want, I can also use it to _replace_ already existing transcripts."

Cardin's eyes widened with realization. "No, you can't have… when could you have-"

"With you watching me so closely? No, you're right." The lankly boy replied. "With you watching me like a hawk and keeping me on such a short leash, I had to pass it along to a… friend."

"Jauney-boy if you think I'll let you get away-"

Jaune shook his head, his voice actually gaining some power as well as grip in the hand that he still held. "You won't 'let' me do anything, I am going to get away with this. See, here's what's going to happen Cardin, I'm done taking orders from you or any of your flunkies. And if you try and hold this over my head again, or expose me to Ozpin, I promise you that the moment my huntsman career ends, so does yours."

Cardin's face turned practically vicious, his teeth gritting, but after a few moments he gave a huff of air, letting go of Jaune's hand, turning and walking away.

* * *

Jaune stood up on the rooftop once again, looking upon the moon and all its stars with a sigh.

"You doing all right?"

The blonde turned to see his leader. "Yeah, yeah I think I am." He outstretched his arms. "In fact, I think I'm doing better than I have in a long time."

The red head smiled kindly to him. "Yes, you do seem rather chipper. Was it the excitement after the brush with death?"

"Oh something like that…" the blonde said chuckling to himself. "Thanks for saving me from falling to my death by the way."

"Well, it would have looked bad on my student record if one of the teammates under my care had gone and been mauled or turned into a smear on a cliffside." She said, earning a rather shocked look from Jaune. "Uh, that was a joke."

"Oh right… heh." The laky boy replied, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He then stood a bit straighter, clearing his throat. "*Ahem* So, Pyrrha?"

"Yes, Jaune?"

"I've decided to accept."

Pyrrha raised a brow. "Accept what?"

"Your offer to train and help me? I accept."

The red head's face lit up like a light, but it quickly changed to curiosity. "But what made you change your mind?"

"I realized something. I got a long way to go if I want to be a great huntsman. But it's not something I have to do alone. I have friends to look out for me, and I was stupid to not see that before." He took a few steps closer, holding out a hand. "And if I can learn from one of the best, then I'd be an idiot not to accept the help."

Pyrrha's smile brightened as she stepped closer, taking his hand. "In that case, there's only one thing I have to say…" She said leaning in closer.

Jaune watched her curiously only for her to sweep his own legs out from under him, causing him to fall back on his butt as Pyrrha let go of his hand. "We start with lesson one: a proper fighting stance."

She then offered him a hand up and Jaune, with a smile matching hers, accepted.

* * *

**Okay, so gone for a long time, sorry for that my vacation was rather long and fun but now its over and I'm back. So, be sure to tune in once more.**

**JamesFames: Yep, spoiler sorry.**


	13. Passion and Prejudice

**Chapter 13**

* * *

**Passion and Prejudice**

A week had passed since the Forever Fall trip and XSBR and PVAR all sat together in the campus cafeteria, all expect for Weiss who sat by herself a few tables away.

"… and then, I swear this is true, Jaune hits himself in the head with his own shield!" Nora finished, earning boisterous laughter from Yang, Ruby, and Nora herself while Blake, Ren, and Pyrrha just smiled a bit bemusedly.

Jaune lowered his head, a tint of red across his face. "C-c'mon Nora, did you have to tell it like that?"

The rowdy girl only giggled. "Are you kidding? You threw your shield off a wall because you thought you could boomerang it back to you."

Ren gave a small shrug and smile to match. "It did _almost_ work. It's just too bad it, well, ricocheted back on you like that."

Another round of laughter from the three energetic girls sent the blonde boy's face aglow as Pyrrha gave a reassuring pat on his back while stifling a bit of her own giggles. "It's alright Jaune, it was an… interesting idea, but your kind of shield isn't really meant for that."

Yang smiled warmly at her. "Your team really seems to have come together, Pyrrha." She then looked behind her at Weiss, eating alone and pangs of regret swept through her. "I really wish we could say the same."

Pyrrha gave a look of sympathy for her friend as she looked past her at the heiress. "Well, with Jaune finally spending less time with Cardin and more time with us, we were finally able to make some great strides with our teamwork."

"Speaking of Cardin…" Blake said casting a disgusted eye a couple tables away where the conceited boy and his team sat. "He's been a bit more Cardin-y than usual." As if to punctuate the point, Velvet came in with her lunch tray and as she passed him, he smacked the trey from underneath, causing the food upon it to spill all over the older girl's uniform. Cardin cackled maliciously while the rest of his team just gave uneasy chuckles.

The dark-haired girl's brow furrowed and she turned towards Jaune. "Can't _you_ do something about this?"

The blonde boy jumped a bit at the sudden intense questioning. "Me?"

"Yes you!" Blake said, pointing a finger at him. "You got that… _you-know-what_ over him. Can't you get him to stop?"

The lanky boy looked unsure. "I can't. That thing I got going with him is way to fragile to try and hold over him like that, especially with it being so new." He cast a sympathetic look over to the faunus girl with a apologetic look I his eyes. "I'm sorry, but if I try and step in now, Cardin's likely to flip his lid and get us _both_ kicked out."

Blake hit her hand against the table, drawing surprised looks from all present. "Fine." She said through gritted teeth. "I'll take care of this myself."

The dark-haired girl stomped over to Cardin's table where the latter was currently tugging hard on Velvet's ears, clearly causing her great pain as she winced hard and clear bruises formed where the ears were being pulled. Blake smacked the orange-haired boy's hand and he let go with a small cry of pain.

"Augh!" Cardin said, holding his hand. "What the hell's your deal?"

Blake ignored him, instead tending to Velvet and helping her to XSBR's and PVAR's table.

"Hey!" He called again. "Ninja wannabe! I'm talking to you!"

Blake turned back, a fire in her eyes as she stomped back, locking eyes with Cardin. "What the hell's my deal? What the hell's _your_ deal, jackass?!" She put her hands on her hips, taking a mocking tone. "I mean what?! Are you feeling insecure about your masculinity because a bunch of girls had to save your sorry ass from the ursa? Huh? You just acting out cause we all know you're soft?"

Cardin stood up, the blaze in his own eyes matching Blake's. "Oh, I'm _soft _huh?! I'm weak?!" He pointed accusingly to Velvet. "Well, if I'm so weak, then what right does she have to even be here?! Someone who won't fight back against someone so apparently weak shouldn't even be going to Beacon."

Blake got right in his face. "She has _every_ right to be here! Way more of a right than someone who just coasted in here on their family's famous name!"

The orange haired boy's hands balled into fists at that. "All my family name means is that I come from good stock! _Generations_ of Winchesters have come and gone, great huntsmen all! I'm _destined_ to be a great and famous huntsman! And what is she?" He said, finger still pointing. "Just a mutt from the backwoods who doesn't know her place!"

If it were possible to explode, Blake might have gone nuclear just then. "Why you pompous bigoted son-of-a-"

"He's not wrong you know." Came in a clear, calm, pristine voice.

Everyone looked over towards Weiss, now standing at the table beside CRDL and Blake, her arms crossed and her gaze an icy calm.

Blake's anger dissipated into disbelief. "What… what did you say?"

"I said 'He's not wrong'." She repeated, her eyes shifting to Cardin. "While I don't agree with the boorish ways in which Cardin's been expressing himself," she started before switching her gaze back to Blake. "it's pretty clear that Velvet's only expressing the natural faunus' subservience to humans. I mean everyone in Atlas knows about that."

Jaune shifted uncomfortably at that, but to the notice of no one as everyone's focus was now on Weiss.

The heiress then gave a little shrug, closing her eyes. "It's just a childish sense of 'equality' that makes people think that faunus and humans should be on the same footing." She opened her eyes, crossing her arms again. "I mean just look at their biggest activist group the White Fang, nothing but a bunch of murders and terrorists. Animals who know nothing but how to bark and bite."

Blake was stunned into silence, her eyes wide with absolute disbelief. The dark-haired girl had known Weiss was less than friendly towards the faunus but was this what she truly thought?

Yang leaned over to Ruby, whispering something in her ear and the younger girl nodded, getting up from the table and running out of the room. The blonde-haired girl then walked over, a disgusted scowl upon her face. "You know Weiss, I thought a lot of things about you. I wanted to give you time, give you space until you got comfortable enough that we could work things out between you and Ruby and Blake. Let you take things at your own pace." He eyes suddenly narrowed in disgust. "But that ends right now. I should have nipped you in the bud the moment you tried swinging around this 'I'm better than everyone else' attitude. You've gone _way_ over the line."

The heiress fixed her leader with a dismissive look. "'Over the line'?" She asked, sounding as if the thought had never occurred to her. "Blake has done nothing but insult my family since we met and you do nothing but dote on that bratty little sister of yours, and you have the gall to try and call me out for what I do and say? I honestly can't believe I ever had even a shred of respect for you, second-best. You may have some book smarts, but if I'm out of line it's clear that nuance just goes way above your head."

The blonde girl practically had steam coming out of her ears as her fists clenched and her hair began to glow.

That is, until a firm hand gripped Yang's shoulder.

She turned to see Pyrrha now by her side giving her a reassuring smile. Yang's hair returned to its normal spun-gold color and the redhead turned to address Weiss, frowning. "Weiss, your views aren't nuanced they're simplistic. The faunus have made great cultural strides and contributions to our society as a whole. The explorer, Veladaz Cruz, who went on to help found Vacuo or Will and Oren Wrine who revolutionized transportation with the first flying vehicles. Those don't seem like small contributions from 'animals' to me."

Weiss took pause at Pyrrha's words, her eyes reflecting disappointment at her idol's disapproval.

Cardin stood up, trying to gain ground back in the argument,. "Just because a few of the mutts aren't totally worthless doesn't mean anything about the rest of them." He gave a pointing finger to Weiss. "She's the top scoring huntress in the entire academy and one of the highest graded students to ever even come here. If anyone knows what they're talking about it's her and if any of you try and insult her or me again-" he said reaching for his mace. "-you'll regret it, guaranteed." He finished looking directly at Pyrrha.

The redhead seemed neither impressed nor intimidated and was about to respond when Jaune stepped up beside her. "Don't you threaten my friends Cardin. And don't forget about our little 'arrangement'."

The orange-haired boy practically snarled at that as his burning gaze turned from Pyrrha towards him. "Jauney-boy, you know that 'arrangement' affect the both of us."

"Yeah I do, and if it means that you never bother or harass my friends again, then I go happy knowing I take you down with me."

This gave Cardin some pause and instead of barking in anger, the boy's eyes got real dangerous. "You won't be able to protect your friends forever, Jauney-boy."

"He won't have to, you overcompensating little brat."

Everyone turned in the direction of the newcomer to see all of CFVY now standing beside them. Yatsuhashi appeared to be trying to help Velvet clean u a bit while Fox and Coco stood side by side, their arms crossed and unamused expression on their faces. The older girl briefly looked over her shoulder to Ruby, panting and out of breath. "Thanks for letting us know, Red!"

Ruby gave a huffing thumbs up in response

The older girl smiled briefly before turning back to her target. She then leaned forward, getting right in Cardin's face her voice low and dark. "And let me be perfectly clear. I've known about you harassing my friend and teammate for a while now, and the only reason my boot isn't already situated halfway into your colon is on her behalf, not yours." Her eyes narrowed as she looked over her sunglasses to stare right into his eyes. "But don't push it, flattop. These kids are under my protection and I'm _always_ watching. So if you try and threaten any of them again, you and I are gonna have us a personal little sit down, and then you _won't _be sitting down." She then took out a cigarette and lit up, taking a long drag before blowing it into his face, causing him to wince. "You feel me?"

Cardin glowered looking like he was a bout to retaliate when he felt a tug on his arm and turned to see Russel and the other two, pleading looks in all their eyes. "Don't do this man. That's Coco Adel, she's the number one ranked duelist in her year. This ain't worth it."

"AUGH!" Cardin bellows, pounding the lunch table. "Screw this! And screw you!" He then turned to his team. "C'mon you guys! We're leaving!"

The older girl watched them leave, a look of smug satisfaction on her lips before turning back to Yang. "You guys got it from here, right?"

Yang gave a grateful smile before turning back to Weiss and Blake, staring one another down in tense silence. "God I hope so."

* * *

The blonde girl could scarcely believe what she'd been witness to.

Ever since the lunchtime incident the cold war between Blake and Weiss seemed to have heat up.

In their last class the two had sat _far_ from one another, only looking at one another to exchange dirty looks of disgust or make rude gestures.

Now they were back in their dorm rooms again and the two were sitting across from one another, their eyes locked and sparks practically traveling between them.

Yang knew this couldn't go on, if only so neither she nor Ruby, nor anyone else got caught in their crossfire. "Alright you two, that's enough, from both of you."

Neither one seemed to acknowledge her and that in itself was beginning to grate on Yang's nerves but she took a deep breath and decided to keep her cool.

_BAM_

Yang, Blake, and Weiss jumped as their dorm room window exploded outward and all turned to see Ruby holding Crescent Rose, its barrel smoking from the shot. "There, now that I have all your attentions, Yang?"

The blonde gave a wry half-smile. Her sister could be surprisingly effective in tense situations. "Thank you for that Ruby." She then turned to the two of them. "Now look, you two have been at each other's throats since you met and if you're not ignoring each other you're trying to kill one another it has to stop."

"Why bother even trying with her?" Weiss asked, turning to look at the blonde, her arms crossed. "You do nothing but take her side when all she does is judge me solely based on her biased view of my family's reputation since I got here. She barely knows me and yet she thinks she has every right to judge me!"

"Really, you wanna go there after what you said about the faunus?" Blake shot back. "'Animals who know nothing but how to bark and bite' were your words, right? What the hell makes you think you know anything about them?!"

"Oh I don't, huh?!" The heiress said, crossing her arms. "I suppose all those attacks by the White Fang were just their way of saying 'hello'?!"

Blake got to her feet. "That's not fair! The White Fang was a peace loving organization that just wanted the faunus to be treated fairly. It was only after they were ignored and abused that the radical elements of that organization got traction and took over, becoming what it is today! It was because of people like you!"

Weiss got to her feet as well. "People like me?! What are you even talking about?!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Blake said, looking in absolute disbelief. "Can you really not see your own bigotry Weiss?! If it weren't for you and people like you constantly treating the faunus like subhuman garbage! The White Fang wouldn't even exist! It's your fault!"

"Don't you say that!"

"It is! It's your fault!"

"Don't say that!"

"Your fault!"

"Don't say THAT!"

"Your FAULT!"

"DON'T SAY THAT!"

"YOUR FAULT!"

"I DID NOT KILL MY MOTHER!" Weiss shrieked at the top of her lungs.

The heiress opened eyes on the verge of tears to see the horrified expression of her teammates, mouths agape and silent.

Weiss sighed, standing up, and going towards the window. "My family… we were constantly under attacks and threats from this and that, how could we not be? The Schnee machine has become so strong we're practically a world power all our own. And out biggest detractors? Faunus and the White Fang."

Weiss took another deep breath, continuing on.

"One day, it got worse, much worse than it had before. The faunus workers in our biggest mines had simultaneously stopped working, they were striking and halting all dust production from them, forcing out any humans in those mines. A month passed and the Schnee Dust Company's stock plummeted like a rock, day after day passed and we were eating loses. My father was beyond furious. He wanted the Atlas Military Force to step in, siege the mines, or collapse or flood them. But my mother…

Weiss put her hand to her face, looking like she was wiping something from her eye before going on.

"My mother thought otherwise. She thought that the faunus were being treated unfairly by our upper management and that they deserved every concession. After convincing my father that she could end this peacefully, my mother went into the mines to meet with the leaders…

Weiss closed her eyes bitterly.

"And never came back out."

Blake's expression was hard as she clenched her fist.

The heiress just shook her head. "Growing up, I never thought much of the faunus one way or another. Everyone around me viewed them as lesser beings, but I was a kid I knew nothing about them outside of the servants, who acted nice enough." She clenched her fist. "But I learned an important lesson on the day my mother died. The faunus are _not_ human. Not in any sense of the word. They are animals and the White Fang are monsters."

A silence hung in the air just then, Yang and Ruby looked speechless, their mouths now closed looking to each other, neither knowing what to say, before turning back to Weiss and Blake.

Th ebony haired girl spoke. "I'm sorry, about your mother…"

Yang and Ruby's faces lit up a bit at that. Was this the start of something new?

"But she brought it upon herself."

The sister' faces paled at that, and now it was Weiss' turn to looked horrified.

"What… what did you just say to me…?"

"I said 'she brought it upon herself'." Blake replied simply. "Your mother may have had good intentions but if she thought she could undo years of oppression and bigotry with a few kind words and concessions they should have already had, she wasn't just naïve, she was deluded."

Weiss hand was near her weapon and Ruby and Yang slowly reached for theirs as well. "You… you dare… after hearing everything I said…"

Blake's gaze met Weiss' the former still had a hard look in her eye while the latter's eyes was practically blazing with fury. "I do. Because its clear that even after everything that's happened you still don't understand _why_. And that is the truly sad thing, Weiss. It's like I said, the White Fang of today never would have come into existence had people like you treated faunus like equals right from the start."

"Are you _sympathizing_ with the White Fang?!" Weiss said incredulously.

Blake shook her head. "No, the White Fang is less than a shadow of what they were, what they were _supposed_ to be. But I at least understand why."

Weiss, now gripping the handle of the weapon spoke quietly. "And why is that?"

Blake said nothing. Then she slowly reached up her hand, not for her own blade but towards the top of her head. She grabbed her ribbon between two slender fingers and pulled. The thing came lose in but a moment as the ribbon fell to the floor, shocking people in the room yet again as two feline cat-ears were revealed.

"Because if someone was going to push us around. Then we were going to push back." With that Blake ran from the room, leaving behind her shocked speechless teammates.

* * *

**Done, sorry about being late. Please review.**


	14. Old Friends New Perspectives

**Chapter 14**

* * *

**Old Friends New Perspectives**

The three stood in shocked silence, practically unable to process what they'd just heard.

Yang was the first to come to her senses, running for the doorframe to try and see if she could catch Blake, but to no avail as their newly revealed faunus friend was nowhere in sight.

Weiss and Ruby snapped back to reality simultaneously, both rushing towards the doorframe to do the same as Yang had just done coming up with the same results.

Yang and the other two turned and looked at one another, the leader looked to the heiress. "Weiss, I know what you're thinking. But you need to just take a deep breath and-"

"If you even being to say 'calm down' I will-" Weiss couldn't even finish her sentence as she went back to the window, looking out of it and scanning the grounds below.

Ruby looked to her elder sibling. "We have to go after her!" she pleaded.

"You're damn right we do!" The heiress said, leaning back in from the window. "We have to catch that god damned animal and put her in a cage where she belongs! Ozpin needs to know about this! Blake is a god damned terrorist for remnant's sake!"

"Whoa, whoa whoa, Weiss, hit the god damn breaks and think!" Yang said stepping closer to her. "This doesn't make any sense. If she were White Fang why would she do this? None of this makes any sense!"

"What are you talking about?!" The heiress screeched. "Se just admitted to being one of them!"

"Maybe," Yang said, shifting her weight to her other foot, and putting her hand to her chin. "but it still doesn't make sense for her to be White Fang , at least right now." Before Weiss could blurt out another objection Yang held up a hand. "If she really was White Fang still, then why do it this way? Blake's had ample time to try and attack you, and if she were just in this for some kind of deep-cover information gathering, why blow her cover like this?"

Weiss, finding some measure of composure, stood straight, crossing her arms. "Perhaps it was some sort of long con? Trying to get close to my family instead of me? A friend of my family's had a servant who was found out to be White Fang. That's what these animals do! Always barking and biting instead of having anything close to human civility!"

Yang closed her eyes shaking her head. "Weiss, you've lost your mother to terrorists, and that is something…" she shook her head, slowly. "something I couldn't even imagine going through. But your refusal to see why the faunus have such hatred for you, your family and your family's friends, is the reason why White Fang even have any ground to stand on."

"Are you trying to _justify_ them?" The heiress asked, getting right in Yang's face.

"No, there's no justification for what the White Fang has done." Yang replied evenly. "But when those _people_ are treated like _animals_, perhaps you shouldn't be so surprised when they bite." Yang finished walking past Weiss and out of the room.

Ruby, who'd been quietly listening with a good deal of worry, furrowed her bros at her sister's departure. "Where are you going?"

Yang looked back to them. "Blake is out there, until we straighten this out she's still part of the team and she's my responsibility. Are you two coming?"

Weiss' crossed arms remained where they were as the heiress gave her leader a scowling look of disapproval.

"I'll be with you in a sec, Yang." Ruby assured, before giving Weiss a quick glance. "There's something I need to take care of really quick before I go."

Yang's hard gaze softened on her sister but turned to some cross between pity and disapproval as it washed over the heiress. XSBR's leader then nodded curtly once before running off.

As soon as her sister was gone, the younger girl immediately addressed Weiss. "Please, Weiss, just… give Blake a chance to explain? Doesn't she at least deserve that?"

Weiss' icy look sent a shiver down Ruby's spine. This wasn't the heiress usual look of mild disgust. This was one-hundred percent pure unrefined abhorrent censure she was seeing in Weiss' eyes. Ruby took a step back and Weiss walked past her. "She is White Fang, she deserves _nothing._ Professor Ozpin will hear of this and mark my god damned words XSBR will be a thing of the past this time tomorrow.

* * *

Blake huffed, her back to a wall in an alley. She looked around the corner, seeing no pursuers, she stepped out into one of the many streets of Vale.

As she did so something occurred to her, she had no idea where she'd even been running to. Blake reached into her bag to retrieve her scroll when suddenly-

"Salutations!"

Blake practically jumped out of her skin as she whirled around, weapon in hand and barrel pointed right at the forehead of a familiar face. "Penny?"

The ginger-haired girl didn't seem to take even the slightest offense at the act of aggression. "You know, I know I've only been in Vale for a short time, but I can't seem to remember any local greeting where we shove deadly weapons in each other's faces."

Apparently not even recognizing it as such.

Blake suddenly aware of what she'd done and how it looked on a public street quickly put her weapon away, her face lighting up with a red tint. "I… I'm sorry."

Penny looked curiously at her. "'Sorry'?" She asked, confused. "About what?"

Blake just shook her head. "Nothing… just… nothing…"

"I see." The ginger said, nodding. "At any rate, it is nice to see you again. Are you perhaps here to help me clean?" She asked.

"'Clean'?".

The odd girl pointed above them to a banner that read "Welcome to Vale!". The festival! It's first stages will be underway soon. Much work still needs to be done, like the work you and your friends were doing the day we met. I enjoyed helping out so much I decided to make it a semi-permanent assignment. I mean, my father does want to me to socialize more, and since I had my first interactions with you, the trend seemed to indicated I could obtain more social experience through this assignment." She then looked curiously to the sky. "Though I wonder if he perhaps meant something else." She then shrugged as her attention fell back to Blake. "Speaking of your friends," Penny asked looking around. "where are they? Are they nearby?"

Blake's befuddled expression turned sorrowful, her exposed ears drooping. "No, no they aren't. I'm sorry Penny, but I gotta go…" Blake said brushing past the ginger.

The odd girl looked no less enthusiastic as she waved Blake off. "I see!" she called out. "Very well, I hope we meet again! You could even come to Homebase!" Blake didn't respond as she rounded the corner of the next street. Penny put a hand to her chin. "Oh wait. I didn't tell them where Homebase was, did I?"

* * *

In a small bookstore, near the dock ward of Vale, a large well-built, clean-cut, sideburned, faunus took out a book, using a box cutter he opened up his latest delivery, the smell of the contents inside hitting him like a wave. "Who needs scroll-books when you got these babies." He said to himself, shaking his head. "Shame so many will never experience that new book smell, the feeling of it in your hand." He reached down, touching the spine of one of them and running his finder down it, before taking it out of the box, holding it close to his face. "Yeah, you guys will find nice homes, I promise." He finished before giving it a small peck.

_***DING-DING***_

The faunus turned on his heel quickly, hiding the book in his hand behind his back. "W-welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, how can I assist you today?!" The man's face fell significantly as he laid eyes on someone he hadn't seen in quite some time. "Blake?" He asked, putting down the book and walking over to her. "Is that you?"

Blake, holding her arm with one hand sheepishly gave a weak smile. "Hey Tukson, it's been a while."

"Yes it has." The man replied, reaching over for the open sign and flipping it over, locking the door as well. "What are you doing here?" he asked as led her to the checkout counter.

The faunus girl shook her head, tears welling up. "Bad things Tukson, really bad things."

The man got a deadly serious look in his eye. "Your cover?"

"Gone."

"How?"

Her ebony locks bounced around as Blake continued to shake her head. "It's… god… I was stupid and… and…" she trailed off, unable to finish.

Tukson just gave a single nod. "I see. Well, whatever happened, you can stay with me in my guest room upstairs until we can get you new papers to get out of town and have a fresh start somewhere else." The man reached out, giving Blake's shoulder a firm grip as he gave her a warm smile. "It's gonna be okay, Blake. I promise."

Blake put her own hand on his, returning the smile through tears.

* * *

It was often said that once a Schnee had set their sights on something, there was nothing in all of Remnant that could keep them from it. Not wealth, power, nor anything their heart desired.

And right now, there was nothing Weiss wanted more than to see Ozpin put that animal Blake in chains.

The heiress practically threw open the doors to Ozpin's office, the large wooden doors clanking against the walls with dull thuds. The headmaster sitting at his desk raised a single brow at the sudden and frankly overdramatic fashion of Weiss' entry, waiting for her to speak.

Weiss, despite her fury, must have still had some measure of composure as she stood up straight, setting her clothes to their proper state and addressed him with the proper decorum. "Professor Ozpin," she started, doing her best to clear the anger from her words. "I am here to inform you that my teammate" she said the word practically through gritted teeth. "Blake Belladonna is very likely a White Fang member, she practically confessed to it. I would also like to report that my teammate Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose have both expressed sympathy for this criminal, showing that Yang is unfit to lead and they're both likely to provide Blake with support she needs to continue to undermine the team and the school at large."

The man gazed at her impassively, before reaching down and taking the mug on his desk, blowing lightly before taking a sip. He then set it down, clasping his hands in front of him. "Yes, I know."

This caught Weiss somewhat off guard. "Y-you do?"

The headmaster nodded. "Oh yes, in fact I've been following XSBR for quite some time. It seems you all have been quite the hassle for poor Glynda, it's not every team that manages to make the row you do." He then pushed his spectacles father up his face. "Frankly, it's rather disappointing.

Weiss looked somewhat lost and Ozpin leaned forward. "You know, I saw you all during initiation, and I was amazed. For students, and not even that technically, to take down a nevermore grimm, it's completely unheard of. I thought I was seeing the beginning of something truly great." He then shook his head slowly. "But what a shame you've all been. You in particular, Ms. Schnee."

"Me?!" Weiss squealed. "I've done nothing wrong! My grades are second to none! My fighting skills are top class!"

"But your attitude is poor. And, to be blunt, quite toxic for your team dynamic." The Professor replied dryly. "Ms. Xiao Long might very well have been the leader you think you deserve to be long ago had you simply stopped trying to challenge her authority at every turn. Ms. Rose from what I've seen has done nothing but attempt to keep the team from completely falling apart, despite your attempts to demoralize her simply because you have a problem with her age."

"But Blake! She's-!"

"A student here a Beacon who, for apparently being a part of a terrorist group, has behaved remarkably amicable." He then stood from his desk, walking around it. "Did it never occur to you that perhaps I already knew about Ms. Belladonna's past? That if she was truly a danger she'd even be let through the front doors?"

"How could you be sure?" Weiss asked, practically pleadingly. "She's a criminal! What if she forged her papers to get in?"

Ozpin hit a few commands on his console and three different dossiers appeared on screens in front of Weiss. One for Jaune, another for Cardin, and the last one, Blake's. "Do you know what these are, Ms. Schnee?"

Weiss wasn't sure what Ozpin was asking exactly, the answer seemed too obvious. "Transcripts? Files?"

"Yes, and they've _all_ been forged." He said, clicking a single button as the screen disappeared. "Mr…. *ahem* 'Arc's' files were some of the best forgeries I'd ever seen and had I not investigated further into the matter he would have slipped right past me. Ms. Belladonna's papers were less… sophisticated, and it seems Mr. Winchester's files were recently replaced in my system." He then walked back behind his desk. "I know the hows and whys behind all these falsified files because my vetting process for determining humanity's survival is very strict, very comprehensive, and very selective. And despite Ms. Belladonna's… unorthodox entry into Beacon, I do believe she belongs here." He interlaced his fingers in front of him, his gaze ever unwaveringly calm. "But perhaps you think you know better than I do."

The heiress didn't have a response to, well, _any_ of that, so she just stood there, hands at her side and fury replaced with uncertainty.

Ozpin's gaze softened, if only a little. "I know you yourself have been through quite a few ordeals yourself, Ms. Schnee, but you are part of a team now. It's long past time you start considering what that means, especially when you're not the one leading it. Elsewise, I fear you may be right and I did make a mistake in admittance."

* * *

Ruby wandered the streets of Vale quite unhappily. She looked down to her scroll, seeing her sister's incoming call. "Yang? Any luck?" She asked.

"None." Yang replied, sadly. "I'm going to try the dock ward."

"Alright." The younger sibling nodded. "I'm still looking around the food district. I'll call you if I find her."

"Same, Yang out." She said, ending the call.

Ruby put away her scroll and looked around. She and Yang had an entire city to cover, where could Blake be?

"Hey! Hey Red!"

Ruby looked over to where the voice was calling from and saw Coco, drinking coffee and waving to her. "C'mon! Get over here!" she called out.

Ruby did as she was told, walking over to the smiling Coco. "So, Red, what are you doing out and about?" She said happily drinking her coffee.

The younger girl wasn't sure how to answer, but she tried her best. "it's Blake…"

"Yeah?"

"She's… she's gone."

Coco set down her cup, giving a quizzical look. "'Gone'? The hell's that supposed to mean?"

Ruby quickly explained the events that had transpired and Coco nodded in understanding. "I see…" She then took a big swig of her coffee cup, setting it down and taking a breath.. "Let's go. Coffee here sucks anyways."

* * *

Blake looked at herself in the mirror, frowning slightly. She disliked the apron she'd been given. It made her itch and smelled like it'd been used to clean up something that spilt on the floor. Still if she was to make a convincing employee she's better wear it with pride.

Tukson had been willing to let her stay free of charge, but after all he'd done for her, Blake couldn't accept without giving something back.

Besides, she thought to herself, who could pass up on new book smell?

"You hear about that job that's going around?" A voice asked from the next aisle over.

"You mean that White Fang thing?" A different voice responded.

Blake edged closer to the bookshelf that separated her from the conversation and her ears peared as she listened in.

"Nah," the first said. "I heard it was bogus deal. A big score and where White Fang'll take the fall."

Blake backed away from the shelf, her mind racing. Someone was trying to frame White Fang for robberies? Who? Why?

* * *

Coco nodded as Ruby finished speaking. "I see." She said putting a hand to her chin. "Little Yang wasn't as forthright as I thought. You guys sound like your team's about to implode."

"I know, it's bad, real bad." Ruby agreed. "Isn't there anything I can do?"

The older girl shrugged. "I dunno."

Ruby balked. "What do you mean 'you don't know'?"

Coco just shrugged her shoulders again. "It means what it means, Red." She took out a cigarette and lit up, taking a puff before addressing her again. "I thought we were making real progress with you guys, but it sounds like Weiss just can't get with the program." The took another puff, letting the smoke drift around her in a mist. "Maybe you guys just weren't meant to be after all."

Ruby sighed. "I know, it's something I might have to face. But I thought we were making a real connection."

"You can't force Weiss to be a better person, Red." Coco replied. "You can give someone everything they want and more. But at the end of the day, they'll be who they choose to be, and you ain't got no say in that."

Ruby seemed disheartened at that and Coco sighed, taking another drag. "You know my team CVFY?" she asked, Ruby nodded once. "Well, we weren't always the team we were."

"What do you mean?"

Coco huffed, a billow of smoke wafting around before she continued. "Back when I was a first year, the girl I was partnered up with bit it when we faced down a death stalker. Fox's luck wasn't much better since they had a scuffle with grimm that crippled his own partner. So, me the girl without a partner and hm the boy without a partner, became partners."

"So how'd that work out?"

"Ha!" Coco said, a genuine smile on her lips. "God damn terrible! Me and Foxy, we… we couldn't stop trying to one up one another. I'd get a B, he'd get an A. He'd face three sparing dummies at once and I'd face five. On and on it went, It was only when Yatsuhashi and Velvet had a little intervention about how the two of us should work with, rather than compete against, one another." She stopped wafting in nostalgia as well as cigar smoke. "Mission after mission, day after day we got closer and closer to… understanding one another." She explained. It took time, god did it take time, but now? I'd trust Fox with my life."

"Why'd you tell me all that?"

"Because sometimes Red, things just need time." The older girl replied. "New people working with one another for the first time are bound to step on one another's toes. But then, after a while, you learn how to work with, rather than around, one another. Yang's got the gumption to be an amazing leader, and you seem like you're already doing what you need to. Just hang in there, Red. Sometimes you just need to roll with the blows when life's trying to knock you on your butt." She put a hand on Ruby's head. "So, make sure your sister does the same."

"Maybe, but how does any of that help with the Blake situation?"

"I wouldn't worry too much." Coco replied. "Velvet and Blake spent a lot of time together, and Vel says Blake's got a good head on her shoulders. She'll come back when she's ready. In the meantime, just make sure she's got someplace to come back to."

Ruby gave a little smile at that. "Yeah."

* * *

The sun had nearly set, the light shining across the harbor and into Tukson's shop. After a long day's work Blake finally took off her apron, setting it on the checkout counter. She ran her fingers through her hair, her ears smoothing as she passed over them.

"You know, I always thought you'd look better without that bow."

Blake whirled around as a figure stood in the doorway, the light forming a familiar silhouette.

* * *

**Done. Sorry for the lateness, please review.**


	15. Catching Up

**Chapter 15**

* * *

**Catching Up**

Yang gave a comforting smile before pulling out her scroll, typing away at it for a few moments before an audible ding sounded from the device, prompting a look of satisfaction from the blonde before she put it away, looking to Blake. Reading her somewhat concerned expression she spoke. "Don't worry. I just told Ruby you're safe, I haven't told her where you are or anything else."

Blake's shoulders dropped a bit. "Thanks…"

"No problem."

The faunus girl reached up to her ears, rubbing one anxiously. "So, did you know?"

Yang walked further into the shop, the glare of the sun leaving her face. "I guess I had my suspicions from the beginning. You read in the dark, your preference to meat and fish, how you've never _ever_ taken off that bow, not even for one of a different color." She trailed off, crossing her arms. "I just figured you'd share it when you were ready to." Yang's eyes grew solemn. "I want you to know, you can take your time with this, but I do need to know. Blake, are you White Fang?"

The ebony-haired girl, looked down to the floor in shame, holding her upper arm with one hand. "I was, but not anymore."

"Why's that?"

"It's… complicated."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

Blake waved her over to a couple of chairs near the checkout counter. The blonde noticed the muscular man eyeing her down but neither said anything as she and Blake took their seats.

A few moments passed and Blake took a deep breath before starting. "The White Fang, it wasn't always like this you know… After the Faunus Rebellion, laws were passed nearly everywhere ensuring that my people could have the same legal rights as yours. But it wasn't that simple. Discrimination and hate was rampant after the rebellion's end, most humans still seeing us as little better than animals. So, the White Fang formed, the voice of the Faunus, we organized rallies, created forums for open dialogue, discussions and for the first time in forever it felt like the faunus were actually getting somewhere. But it didn't last." She stopped, that shameful look shining in her eyes once more.

Yang put a firm hand on Blake's arm, and the girl smiled weakly at the gesture before continuing.

"Many White Fang members felt that the peaceful activism wasn't working. Worse, some felt that it was a sign of our weakness, that we were showing humanity that we were unable to fight for what we wanted after the rebellion. And so, little by little, more radical sects of the White Fang began to emerge. They started out as small crimes, petty theft and vandalism against shops or corporations that discriminated against us, but it didn't take long to get worse. Soon, we were stealing entire cargo freighters worth of merchandise, firebombing shops, until finally…"

"You stopped hurting things and began to hurt people." Yang finished, her expression grave.

Blake nodded. "Corporate officials, keynote anti-faunus speakers, law enforcement… anyone who wasn't on the White Fang's side needed to be taken out. Some were hurt less than others, bruises or a broken bone or two, some were much worse, some in comas or crippled or…"

"Dead?"

Blake didn't respond.

She didn't need to.

"And where do you fit into all this?"

"I was part of the White Fang, for… for as long back as I can remember." Blake replied. "As a kid I would join my parents in the rallies, the protests, the sit-ins, the boycotts. I was very young, and very impatient for change to come. When the radicals began to emerge, I was found myself agreeing more and more with their way of getting equality and less with slower peaceful solutions. Soon enough myself and others were among the ones calling for a change in leadership and so it did. The First leader and founded of the White Fang stepped down, taking himself and what few peaceful activists that still followed him and leaving."

She gave a pause at that, something Yang noted but deciding to remain silent until Blake had finished.

"I realize now I should have left with them, but I stayed. A… friend of mine convinced me that this was the only real way to make progress, and the truly sad thing about it? He wasn't wrong. When the White Fang became radicalized suddenly we weren't being ignored. Many outcried that we were nothing more than criminals, terrorists, but many others began to open their shops and services to the faunus, if only out of fear at being the White Fang's next target. Only the very largest of companies or those with heavy reliance on faunus labor refused to bend."

Another pause as Blake shook her head in disgrace. "I… I did terrible things, Yang. A lot of them."

"How bad?"

"Bad."

"You mean you kil-?"

"NO!" Blake said suddenly slamming a hand on the counter catching the attention of Tukson and relaxing her hand. "No. I never killed anyone… Hurt people, yes, a lot of them, but I never killed, no, not me."

Yang couldn't help but notice something odd about the way that she had responded. The sudden reaction, the inflection in her voice, even the wording, Blake wasn't coming all the way clean about this. Even so, she'd shared quite a bit already, it would be best to move on and come back to that apparently sensitive subject later on. "So how _did_ you manage to get out?"

"That would on account of me." Tukson said, finally walking up to join the two girls. "When the leadership changed hands, I was among those that left the White Fang. Don't get me wrong, I agree with what the White Fang _want_, but the way they're going about it is going to get themselves and a lot of other people killed. After that I reached out to members of the White Fang looking to leave especially as things began to… escalate with them. When Blake contacted me, I helped set her up here, new IDs, new papers everything she needed to leave that life behind and start fresh."

Blake turned to him, giving him a warm smile. "And I've never been more grateful for that."

Tukson returned the smile and Yang spoke up. "So, why not just tell the truth? That you were _once_ involved but not anymore?"

Blake looked at her uneasily. "Frankly, I don-didn't trust any of you." Yang looked at her quizzically and the ebony haired girl continued. "After White Fang, I spent a little time by myself before approaching Tukson here in Vale. I was hurt when my… friend decided to stay with the White Fang while I left, it hurt and I wondered alone. Out in the wilds between the kingdoms I saw hunters from time to time, they were nearly always by themselves, lone wolves hunting in the wood. I thought maybe that if I became a huntress myself, I could start a new quite life for myself. It was only when I arrived here in Vale and got into Beacon that I would have to team up with people." She gave a little shrug of the shoulders. "Though if I'm honest, I guess part of me was happy to have people around again, but the other part of me told me that I needed to stay detached, that connections would only hurt me again."

"Guess that explains the bipolar routine." Yang joked, earning a small chuckle from Blake and a small approving smirk from Tukson. She then reached out with her hand, grabbing Blake's. "But I want you to know something. When you're friends with me, you're stuck with me for life." Yang herself got a distant look in her eyes. "After all, it's not the distance that matters, only the connection, right?"

* * *

Ruby turned around the hallway to her dorm when she got a message on her scroll.

**CAT'S IN THE BAG**

**CATCH UP LATER**

**-Y**

The young girl gave a heavy relived sigh. "Well, at least there's some good news." She said aloud, glad that Coco's prediction on Blake panned out.

As Ruby began to turn the nob on her door, she heard indistinct voices from around the next corner. Her somewhat curious, if not also somewhat _nosey_, nature getting the best of her Ruby walked down the way, peering around the corner and seeing Weiss and Pyrrha, the later frowning as the former talked to her, back to Ruby.

"I was just stopping you to say, I'm sorry."

'Oh?"

"Yes, the things I said yesterday, they weren't, I mean I didn't mean to say-" She stopped herself, trying the best to look her usual confident self but failing spectacularly. "Look, my entire team ran off and I don't know who else to turn to. Please, I need someone to listen."

Pyrrha eyed her curiously, then waved a hand for her to follow. "Come, let's go somewhere where we can get a little fresh air."

* * *

The two soon found themselves on the roof, Ruby hanging back in the doorway leading to the roof, wanting to hear the conversation.

Pyrrha waited patiently as the ivory-haired girl paced. "I just… nothing here, is like it should be."

"Oh? How's that?"

"Back in Atlas, everything was simple." Weiss began. "I had servants to do so much for me, people praised me, _respected_ me. But I was under the yolk of my own father, so I left to be my own person. But ever since I got here, it feels like no one even cares about who I am, or what I've accomplished. A skilled combatant, a top-notch student? I should have people begging me to be friends with me, so why?" She turned to Pyrrha. "I mean, don't you get that? You're a famous athlete, you're the youngest winner of the Vytal Festival Tournament in like, _thirty years _for Remnant's sake! You must!"

The red head looked thoughtful, deciding how to respond. "I suppose… I can understand that. When I was young, I was a bit more cocky with my talents. People waited on me hand and foot and soon I began to take them for granted. I saw them as servants, in a way, there to do what I said when I said it. But then…" Pyrrha sighed, looking downward at the ground over the railing. "My arrogance caught up with me. I caused an accident that severely wounded one of those people, and it was like ice water to my face, these were people, _living_ people, with lives all their own that were no less important than mine."

"An accident?" Weiss questioned. "What kind? I don't remember hearing anything like that about you."

"Courtesy of my P.R. team." Pyrrha responded. "Whole thing was covered up, hush money to witness and victim alike. I wanted to come clean with the public, but they threatened to drop my sponsorship and sue me into the ground if I came clean and ruined the image of me they were trying to make." The red head gave a sigh before looking to Weiss again. "Look, the point is, you shouldn't look upon people as superior or inferior to you, human, faunus, whatever. Treat them as your equals." Pyrrha got closer until they were only a single foot apart. "And if you really want to make things up with your own team, which is what I know this is really about, try being a little more humble, okay? You can be the most skilled warrior to ever walk Remnant, but no one is going to want to work with someone who's pompous, ungrateful, and stuck-up." Her eyes darted behind Weiss. "And perhaps the first step in making things up, is an apology to someone who actually deserves it." She finished motioning with her head to Ruby, now stepped out onto the roof.

The younger girl joined the two and the two teammates gaze unsure glances to one another, neither one seeming to want to make the first move.

Pyrrha clasped her own hands together. "Well, anyways, I think I can smell Ren's famous pancakes, so I guess I'll be going now. You two take care, alright?" She said as she walked off and away leaving the two along.

The two finally made eyes contact.

"…Hi." Ruby said quietly.

"…Hi." Weiss returned, just as soft.

* * *

**Done, short, longer next time, much, please review.**


	16. Ebony and Ivory

**Chapter 16**

* * *

**Ebony and Ivory**

"You know, nothing's quite as satisfactory as when a good plan comes together, you know?"

Neo gave a small shrug, watching as Torchwick admired the bulkhead dropships Infront of them.

"And you guys!" Roman said, turning to the various criminals in their White Fang gear. "You look amazing, The spittin' image of the real deal." He tapped the ground with his cane. "Now, get moving, you all know your parts."

The crooks nodded and piled onto the ship as the roof to the warehouse peeled back. As the engines of the dropships began to roar, he and Neo made their way onto one as Roman flipped through a Vytal pamphlet, lading on the one featuring Mystralian art that was going to be exhibited. "Hnn…" He hummed to himself with wicked smile as he boarded. "Always was a fan of the classics."

* * *

Neither Weiss nor Ruby made a sound as they stared at one another awkwardly.

"Maybe if we sit down, we'd feel a little more comfortable?" Ruby suggested, motioning to the roof's edge.

Weiss gave a single nod. "Sure."

The sat on the edge, but neither the tension nor the awkwardness of ths situation dissipated.

First a minute passed.

Then two.

Three.

Seven.

Until-

"I-I'm sorry!" They both blurted out, each covering their mouths as they spoke simultaneously.

More silence as each waited for the other to speak.

"I just-"

"You can go-"

More silence reigned until Weiss finally gave a sigh. "Okay, let's take this slowly."

The younger girl nodded her head in agreement.

"I have been… well, less than pleasant since I've met you all." Ruby gave her a look and Weiss relented. "Fine, I've been a total priss since I arrived in Vale." Her shoulders dropped and she looked to the sky. "I''s just… I had… expectations of how things would go. When I met people I thought I knew their whole story before I even knew their name. Yang I thought was a party-hard dunce who'd just lucked out into being the best at Signal. Blake I thought was an antisocial creeper who just lurked around and kept to herself, and you?" She said finally looking to Ruby. "I didn't even know what to make of you. I guess… I convinced myself that you were a mistake. I mean, I had to go through _all_ my own schooling, what right did some nobody have to be here who was two years younger than me?" She looked away again. "Even when I began to know you all, little by little, I just dismissed what I saw because I'd already decided on who and what you were."

Ruby gave a sigh, as she gazed off the roof towards the campus below. "Yeah, that wasn't really fair of you. But I understand why you'd be most upset at me. I mean Beacon is like, _the_ place to be if you want to be a huntress and I got in two years ahead of everyone else. _I_ don't even think I deserve to be here. I mean, I just happen to be lucky enough to catch Ozpin's eye one night after foiling a robbery and then next thing I know, I get into Beacon, no questions asked."

Weiss' eyes widened a bit at that. "Wait. Waitwaitwaitwait. So, are you telling me, the reason you're here. is luck?"

Ruby shrugged her shoulders and Weiss was silent for a few moments,

Then she did something the younger girl certainly did not expect.

*snort* "Pffftttt! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Weiss held her sides as laughter came pouring out her mouth, Ruby actually stood up and backed a way a bit in sudden surprise. "W-Weiss! What are you-"

"All this time! HAHA! All this time!" The heiress repeated, calming down a bit but still shaking with giggles. "All this time, I was sure you got in here by cheating or nepotism from Ozpin. But no! It was luck! Dumb, stupid luck! That's-Haha-That's hilarious!"

Ruby, unsure how to respond just gave a small smirk. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Weiss calmed down, wiping a tear away. "Just-heh heh-Just luck…"

Silence resumed for a few moments and the two looked off towards the horizon.

"I owe Yang an apology too."

"Gee, ya think?"

Weiss gave a thin rueful half-smile at that. "Yeah, I do. I _really_ do. When she became leader, I got angry. What right did this lazy hot-head have to lead, what made her more qualified than me? So, I questioned it at every turn, challenged her authority even though she was just trying to make our team work. I mean, god, could you even imagine where we'd be if I were leader right now?"

"Yeah, Yang certainly doesn't have it easy with us, that's for sure. A priss, a brat, and an anti-socialite, I'm actually shocked Yang hasn't pulled out her hair from all the stress." Ruby agreed. "Glad I don't have to worry about that. I mean, could you imagine?"

"You? As leader?" Weiss asked pointing a finger. "As if the youngest and most inexperienced person on our team would in _any_ reality be our leader." She finished upturning her nose.

"Hey!" Ruby said, shaking a fist. "I resent that!"

The two looked at one another before bursting into another fit of giggles.

"But we can make it easier on her…" Ruby started.

"…By putting this behind us and trying to start fresh." Weiss finished.

The two smiled at their shared thought before backing away from the edge and standing up.

Ruby outstretched her hand. "Hi! My name is Ruby Rose, I'll be your partner and teammate these next four years."

Weiss grasped it. "Hello, Ruby Rose. I am Weiss Schnee, I will not only be your partner, but the _best_ one you'll ever have."

The younger girl gave a chuckle. "Oh? That's quite the claim, Ms. Schnee! I hope you can deliver on such a promise!" She replied her accent equal parts snooty and ridiculous.

"I assure you Ms. Rose, I am nothing if not a woman of my word!" Weiss replied in a similarly bizarre speaking voice.

The two chuckled some more before stopping, small but genuine smiles on their faces.

"I guess," The heiress started. "I still need to apologize to Yang."

"And to Blake."

Weiss visibly frowned, holding her arm and looking away. "Ruby…"

"Look Weiss," Ruby began walking closer, trying to look her in the eye only for the Ivory-haired girl to look elsewhere, refusing to meet her gaze. "What she said to you isn't okay, not even a little bit. But you've haven't really given her a fair shake either, especially when you said all those things about the faunus."

Weiss' eyes briefly darted back to Ruby before returning to the distance.

"I know you didn't say all those things to hurt her personally, especially when none of us even knew she was a faunus. But, what you've been saying has hurt her deeply, and are wrong to say anyways." Ruby continued. "She hasn't tried to hurt you… physically anyways." She added sadly. "I think you should at least hear her out."

Weiss closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "…You're right." She said. "You're right about everything, I know that. I know I haven't been the paragon of tolerance concerning the faunus, and I know that if she were really White Fang, she would have tried something by now. But it's still hard, you know?"

"To forgive, you mean?"

The heiress nodded once.

"I guess it's supposed to be." Ruby replied. "If it were easy to forgive, more people would do it to one another. Hate's easy to hang on to, and it's easy to let yourself stew on it, and the longer you let it, the easier it is to just keep on hating and the harder it becomes to let go. Until hate becomes all some people ever know."

Weiss gave a mirthless "heh" to that. "I don't know if it's as simple as all that Ruby."

The younger girl shrugged. "No, probably not. But one way or another you two need to work this through, for better or worse. And if, in the end, that means that XSBR is no more, then I guess that's just the way it has to be."

Weiss looked out over the edge of the roof again before taking a deep breath and letting it go. "I'm not promising anything Ruby. But I will give Blake a chance."

Ruby got a hopeful look on her face as she smiled a bit wider. "Good, cause I got a text a little while ago that Yang found her, they'll be back come tomorrow morning I expect." She clapped her hands together excitedly. "In the meantime, Pyrrha mentioned pancake at her place, I say we go join them."

Weiss' face turned from melancholy to skeptic. "Pancakes, as in breakfast, at night?"

Ruby turned back to her. "Yeah, haven't you ever had brinner?"

"'Brinner'?"

"'Breakfast-for-Dinner', duh!"

"I don't know…"

Ruby grabbed her hand. "C'mon, Weiss. I thought you were going to start being a little more openminded from now on."

Weiss hesitated before nodding once and being whisked away by Ruby's semblance down the stairs and towards the feast.

* * *

Yang fell back on to the couch with a yawn, crossing her legs as she made herself comfortable. "Man, sure was nice of Tukson to let me crash here for the night."

Blake across from her in the same guest room sat on the bed, her hands on her knees. "Yes, he's always been very good to me, and my friends. I owe him a lot."

"I wonder how many other Ex-White Fang he's helped." Yang mused, another yawn taking her as she covered her mouth.

"A few, or so he says." Blake replied, taking off her shoes. "Speaking of them though, White Fang is apparently back in town."

"Oh?" Yang said, a raised brow. "Keeping tabs on the old crew?"

"Not really." Blake replied evenly. "It was just something I overheard this afternoon. I don't usually hear much about them because, well, I've been trying to distance myself from them ever since I parted ways. All the same, it's strange that they're here in Vale."

"How's that?"

"Well, Vale's one of the more faunus friendly places in the world. It seems odd that they would try and attack here." Blake answered.

"I'm not surprised you heard rumors." Came the gruff voice of Tukson in the doorway. "The White Fang I'm still in contact with haven't heard anything about attacking Vale, and yet the rumors are circulating in the Vale underground."

"You think someone's framing them?" Yang asked.

"That would be my guess. Especially since the word that's been going around is that the job the 'White Fang' is pulling off is robbery. Not the White Fang's usual thing." Tukson responded.

"That's not good." Blake said disheartenedly. "If it gets out that White Fang are in Vale committing crime, people's opinions of faunus are going to plummet. And real White Fang will become agitated, perhaps enough so that they come here to try and do something about the imposters." The ebony-haired girl shook her head. "Vale could end up erupting into a warzone if the White Fang sets its sights here."

Tukson hummed in agreement while Yang put a hand to her chin in thought. "So," she started. "why don't we just clear the White Fang's name?"

The two faunus exchanged confused looks with one another before turning back to the smirking Yang. "What?!" they said in unison.

"Okay think about it. What's the White Fang's usual M.O.?"

"Political statements mostly." Blake responded.

"Or political attacks concerning faunus." Tukson added.

"Right. It's political. All political. All the time." Yang said pointing at the both of them. "But if we find people in White Fang getup doing things like breaking and entering or robbery, especially against people that don't have faunus prejudice, or even against other faunus, then we can expose the phonies, and stop the real White Fang from ever feeling the need to show up and root out their imposters."

Tukson got a thoughtful look on his face as well. "Hmm… I have heard that Mantleian art pieces are coming in."

"Those would be very valuable to steal," Blake noted. "considering the art censorship that took place there. Those paintings must be worth hundreds of thousands of Lien."

Yang sat up, excitedly. "Do you know where that art would be right now?"

"Down at the docks would be my best guess." The gruff man said.

"Then we have our destination." Yang said looking to Blake.

The two quickly put on their gear and were soon out the door, Tukson calling out after them as they went. "Be careful you two!"

"We will!" Blake called back.

"Don't wait up, Tuksy!" Yang added.

* * *

Team PVAR, Ruby and Weiss all sat around a dinning table. The table's atmosphere was jovial, even the usually sullen Ren was in high spirits as he popped out of the kitchen with a fresh batch of flapjacks, two stacks of twelve, a serving plate in one hand and a smaller dinner plate in the other.

"Fresh and ready to serve." The quiet boy announced.

Ruby was wide eyed while Weiss looked concerned. "Are you sure we're gonna be able to handle that many?" The heiress asked.

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked. "There's three for each of us. Not counting Ren."

"I usually eat last, it is alright." The taller boy added.

Weiss did the math in her head. "3 each? That… that doesn't seem right."

"Those are for us." Pyrrha explained pointing to the large serving plate as Ren sat it in the middle. "But the other is for-"

"ME!" Nora said, her mouth drooling ravenously. Ren set the plate down carefully in front of her, watching his fingers as he quickly slipped his hand away.

As soon as he had the orange-haired girl turned into an animal, tearing into the fluffy dough like a carnivore ripping through the flesh of its prey.

It reminded Ruby of the wildlife programs she'd sometimes watch.

Weiss looked put off as she watched Nora and then looked down at her own, single pancake. She couldn't believe that she somehow felt _pity_ for a piece of food right now. Still, better on her plate than the carnage on Nora's.

As Ruby took her first scrumptious bite she felt a buzz on her hip and reached for her scroll. She pulled it out and read the text message, her eyes going wide as she nearly chocked on a piece of pancake, quickly reaching for her milk and drinking it down, beating her chest a few times to make sure it went down.

"You alright?" Pyrrha asked, somewhat bemused but also concerned.

*HACK* "Ahem, fine. I'm-I'm fine." Ruby said, catching her breath before looking towards the heiress. She stood up, walked over to the girl as she neatly cut a small piece off her own flapjack and placed it gingerly in her mouth. Ruby jerked Weiss from her seat by the arm and the sudden motion caused the heiress to drop the silverware to the floor. "Ruby! Hey what are you-?"

"No time to explain!" Ruby said as she activated her semblance and bolted out the door.

"What's up with them?" Jaune asked.

"Dunno. But I call their pancakes!" Nora exclaimed.

* * *

Yang and Blake arrived at the docks, hiding on a warehouse roof that oversaw the area. The night's darkness was soon pierced by moonlight as the clouds above parted, revealing three bulkhead dropships, two dozen of the White Fang phonies and scores of bodies lying on the ground.

The two then spotted as a orange-haired figure in a bowling hat stepped out from one of the ships, looking rather pleased as he strolled through the carnage, nodding his head and speaking with the imposters.

"He must be calling the shots." Yang said. "If we can catch him, we might be able to put a stop to the White Fang mania before it starts."

"Leave it to me." Blake said, drawing her weapon. "I can sneak up behind him no problem."

Yang nodded. "Alright, I'll be watching from here. If you run into trouble, I'll be there in a flash."

Roman honestly couldn't believe it had gone off so perfectly. Guards were down, alarm was disabled, the merchandise intact, it was truly the beginning of a beautiful night.

That is, it _was_, right up until he felt cold, black, steel right against his throat. "Now, now… no need to be hasty…"

The imposters, taking notice of their employer's immediate danger, all leveled their guns at her. "WAIT!" She shouted. "Wait." She repeated, looking around at the group. "I know there are faunus among you, please, I beg you, think about what you're doing! If the White Fang, the _real_ White Fang catch wind of this, they'll hunt you down for using their name! Or even worse, this could do damage to the faunus living peacefully here in Vale, and elsewhere too! You must stop!"

Several of the imposters looked at one another, seeming unsure, but the rest remined unperturbed, their guns still leveled at her.

Torchwick's face turned from a grimace to a sneer. "HA! An appeal to a criminal's better nature. That's a hoot."

Blake held her blade firmer against his throat. "Shut it you!"

Roman gulped, as the blade drew near, but his smile didn't fade. "Easy ninja-girl. No need to get… heated." With that he clicked a button on his cane and aimed its tip at the ground, sending Blake flying behind him.

Blake flew through the air, flipping over in a backflip and catching herself on her feet as she landed. Roman readied himself as he lifted his cane, aiming it at her.

The rest of the imposters began to mobilize firing at Blake with Roman. The ebony-haired faunus dived behind a steel beam, the ricochets bouncing off its surface as she was pinned down.

_**KA-KOW**_

One o the imposters heard the ring of the shot and looked up just in time to see Yang blazing down towards them like a meteorite. She cratered the concrete and immediately began to pummel them, her fists and body flaring with power as she went.

Roman, momentarily distracted by the human bombshell, looked over his shoulder at the blonde now tearing through his men like tissue paper and grimaced. "Of course, there's two." He then winced a bit. "Wait a minute, have I seen her somewhere? Was she that crazy chick Junior was talking-?"

But the crook's thought left him as Blake charged, quick blows and acrobatic maneuvers suddenly overwhelmed him.

* * *

Weiss held on for dear life as to the younger girl's shoulders as Ruby zoomed down the street as full speed. "Ruby! You need to slow down!"

Ruby shook her head as she whipped around a corner. "Can't! Yang's fighting someone somewhere, we need to find them and fast!" She held up her scroll over her shoulder, a read-out of the four girl's status, Weiss' fully green, Yang's and Ruby's steadily dropping and Blake's portrait blacked out.

"But we don't even know where they are!" Weiss reminded.

Ruby stopped in her tracks. Huffing at the exertion but also realizing the truth in Weiss' words. "I know that, but what choice do we have?"

"More choice than running around halfcocked." The heiress replied, regaining her composure. "What we need is a plan. Someway to locate them."

"I know where they went." A voice behind them cut in.

The two turned to see the strange ginger-haired girl greeting them with a bright smile and brighter eyes.

"Penny?" Ruby asked, surprised to see the girl out this late.

"What are you doing out here?" Weiss asked.

"Working of course!" She replied, cheery as ever. "My coworkers already left for the day but I decided to stay behind and help clean for a little while longer. I mean, it's not like I need sleep."

The partners exchanged confused looks before shaking the strangeness from their heads. Ruby stepped forward. "Penny, you said you know where they went?"

"Yes!" Penny replied.

After a few moments of silence Weiss clarified. "Then could you _tell_ us?" she asked.

"Certainly!"

A few more moments and Ruby practically screamed at her. "Then DO IT!"

"Very well!" She pointed in one direction more towards the marketplace part of town. "Yang went that way to follow after Blake a few hours ago." She then pointed down another street, towards the ocean. "Then they passed back through here some fifteen minutes ago. Unfortunately, I was unable to say hi to them, and that made me sad."

"So, the docks then…" Weiss said, gathering the useful information from the exchange.

"Okay," Ruby said grabbing Weiss' hand. "Hang on-"

"if I may, before you go?" Penny asked, stepping right in Ruby's path.

'What now?" Ruby asked in a practical whine.

"It's just that, you seem to be in quite the hurry. I was simply curious as to the reason why."

"Yang and Blake are in trouble, we're on our way to help them." Ruby quickly explained. "Now please-"

"Trouble? As in danger?" Penny asked.

"YES! NOW MOVE!" The two said together.

"Please! Allow me to assist you!" The odd girl urged, reaching a hand out to Ruby.

The two looked at one another and Weiss shook her head. "Penny, that's very nice of you, but where we're going, it's dangerous, you could get hurt."

"Please Ruby, I have excellent self-preservation skills. I'm combat ready." Penny said, giving a salute.

Ruby looked to Weiss who just rolled her eyes. "We don't have time to debate this! Just grab her and go!"

The younger girl nodded and grasped Penny's hand before speeding off down the road, the two girls in tow.

* * *

Yang buried her fist in the gut of the last imposter, the man keeling over as he passed out. She then turned her attention to Torchwick who was pushing Blake back with frightening efficiency.

Roman looked over his shoulder as he saw Yang approach. "Two-on-one, huh?" He knocked Blake away and reached into his jacket for a communicator. "I don't think so." He clicked a button and shouted one simple word. "NOW!"

Yang stopped dead in her tracks as another dropship appeared over her head. Yang turned her attention to it as it floated between her and Blake. The bay door opened and someone jumped out. Yang watched as a small, lithe, figure floated slowly to the ground in an open parasol. As the figure landed, Yang watched her draw her umbrella closed, looking over one shoulder at Blake and Torchwick before giving a small bow. Her split-color hair and heterochromatic eyes matching one another as she gave a pleasant smile.

"And what the hell are you supposed to be?" The older girl asked, hands on her hips.

Neo simply held her parasol in front of her, closed, its tip to the ground and leaned on it, her smile not faltering in the slightest.

"Get out of my way kid. Don't make me hurt you." Yang said slamming a fist into an open palm.

Neo held a hand to her mouth as silent giggles seemed to overtake her.

"Oh, think that's funny huh?" The blonde said, cracking her neck. "Don't make me say it again. Out of the way."

Neo put a finger to her lips, tapping them twice before sticking out her tongue and lowing her eyelid.

"Fine! I warned ya!" Yang said charging at the girl. As her fist made contact with the girl's face she suddenly shattered like glass. "Wha-what? What was-" Yang said before dodging out of the way of a piercing blade to her side, as Neo began her own assault on the older girl. Yang tired to hit her blow after blow, but the young girl slipped past every punch, weaving and sending Yang on the defensive every now and then with a stab from the blade at the end of her parasol. Neo then made a quick sidestep, flipping her parasol in her hand and catching the other end, using the handle to hook Yang's leg and send her to the ground. She flipped it again, attempting to stab the ground, but the blonde rolled out of the way as Neo stabbed after her.

Torchwick's smug grin showed teeth as he continued to push Blake back. His quick blows were getting harder for Blake to dodge out of the way and his observant eye caught the tell-tale sign of aura fading as Blake began to flicker like a old bulb. "Almost out of juice?" He said before managing to land a solid kick to Blake's solar plexus, knocking her back and sending her rolling across the concrete. Roman leveled his can eat her, his smile devolving back into a simple smirk. "Nighty-night kitty-cat." He fired and a streak of fire came shooting out of his cane.

Blake watched, exhausted, as the fire came for her. She braced herself for impact, expecting the white-hot fire to engulf her, but nothing came.

In fact, if anything, she suddenly felt… _colder_.

The faunus girl opened her eyes and say a pillar of ice now standing between her and Torchwick.

"But how-?" Blake then looked behind her, seeing Ruby, hands on her knees panting, Weiss, kneeling down with her sword in the concrete, a trail of ice leading to the pillar, and for some odd reason, Penny.

She felt relief at the presence of the younger girl, but only confusion at the presence of the heiress. "Weiss? Why… why are you-"

"We get out of this alive, we'll all have a long talk, deal?" Weiss asked, extending a hand to her.

Blake hesitated, but then nodded once before taking it, standing to her feet.

Yang noticing the new arrivals grabbed Neo around the collar of her jacket, sending the mute girl flying with a toss as the blonde sprinted to her team. "Ruby! Weiss!"

Her sister, finally catching her breath, greeted her sister with a brief hug.

Weiss gave a single nod before speaking. "So, leader, what's the game plan."

Yang looked over to Neo dusting herself off. "Snow cone over there is too slippery for me, I'm getting nowhere with her fast, Blake you and me are trading dance partners, Weiss you back her up." The two nodded and she then turned to her sister. "Ruby, you're with me. We're teaching this asshat where he can stick that cane of his." Her sister smiled at that and the two pairs set off towards their respective targets.

Neo looked from Blake to Weiss curiously. "She can use illusions like me, so watch out." Blake advised.

"Keep on top of her and I'll try and limit her movements." Weiss replied, spinning Myrtenaster's cartridge.

Roman actually looked a bit surprised as the sisters confronted him. "Well, I'll be! If it isn't little Red! Long time no see."

The two got into their battle stances and Ruby narrowed her eyes. "Bowler hat guy…"

Torchwick deadpanned at that. "Actually, it's Roman. Roman Torchwick. Maybe you've head of me? Gentleman thief? Criminal Mastermind? Villain extraordinaire?"

The sisters looked at one another then to him and shrugged.

"Kids these days… C'mon! Don't you even watch the news!?" he asked, raising his cane and firing a shot. Ruby and Yang jumped out of the way and began to push him back, Yang leading with her heavy blow while Ruby attacked with swipes on Torchwick's sides and back.

Roman gritted his teeth as he backed up to a crate. Spying an opportunity, he raised his cane and fired upward. The sisters looked up and saw a metal cargo container freed from its cable and hurtling towards them.

Roman ducked out of the way, while Yang kicked Ruby in her side, knocking her away.

The younger sister rolled as the box came down on top of her elder sister. "YANG!"

But where Roman was hoping for a crash instead came grunting, the two saw the debris clear and Yang was holding up the cargo container, her feet now embedded in the concrete, her hair flaring to a white.

"Someone's been getting their daily protein." Roman said in disbelief. He looked to see his men beginning to get up, most helping each other or making for the bulkheads. He quickly took out his communicator. "When you guys get onboard, I want you to fire the weapons at these girls, capisce?"

Ruby ran over to her sister still holding up the container. "Yang! Are you alright?!"

Yang only grunted and gritted her teeth more tightly as she lifted the crate from her shoulders and tossed it behind her.

_**BA-BOOM**_

The metal clanged loudly as Yang put her hands to her knees, breathing heavily, the aura around her beginning to flicker as her hair's glow began to fade. Ruby rushed to her side, putting her arm on Ruby's shoulders. "Gonna-*pant*gonna feel that…. In the morning." Yang said though puffs.

Ruby turned her attention back to Torchwick already on his way to the last bulkhead to take off, the others beginning to circle the area.

Roman boarded the aircraft and turned back to his young ward still trying to hold back Blake and Weiss. "Neo! Playtime's over!"

The dichromatic girl gave a nod of acknowledgement, breaking her engagement with the two and making beeline for Torchwick.

They tried to go after her but the gunships opened fire, forcing Blake and Weiss back. With no cover in sight the heiress quickly built up an ice wall, shielding them from the fire. Ruby, now supporting Yang quickly activated her semblance seeking shelter under Weiss' barrier.

The ivory hair girl gritted her teeth as the bullets rained down,. "I can't keep this up for much longer!"

"What are we going to do?" Ruby asked. She then saw Yang, move a single arm and point behind them. Everyone turned to see Penny stepping out, striding confidently into the fray.

"Penny! Stop!" Ruby pleaded.

"You need to run!" Blake advised.

"You're gonna get yourself killed you imbecile!" Weiss added with frustration.

Penny looked to them and only smiled. "Don't worry guys!" She said before turning her attention to the gunship as they did the same to her. "I'm combat ready."

They opened fire and Penny charged at the ships, the opened fire at her but Penny stuck her arm out and something shot out. She made a tugging motion and shot into the air, before she ban to fall again and did the same motion, now swinging from the large cargo cranes, flipping through the air until she was on top of one of the bulkheads.

"What is she doing?" Weiss asked.

The bulkhead began to spin wildly, it's guns going off and grazing the others, sending them into a frenzy.

"What's going on over there?!" Roman bellowed into his communicator.

"Don't know!" Came back a scratchy and panicked voice. "The controls! They've just-AAHH!"

The bay doors opened up and the bulkhead tipped, sending the passengers into the water below while Penny remained, somehow still on top of the aircraft despite her being at a horizontal angle now.

"Well?! What are you waiting for! Shoot it down!" Torchwick barked.

The henchmen tried to comply but Penny was already one step ahead of them. Her own gunship started firing, hitting one of the engines of the enemy gunship and sending it crashing into another. The two went down in flames, colliding into a large building below and collapsing the roof.

Roman visibly winced at the destruction and yelled to his pilot. "C'mon! Time to get out of here!"

The pilot acknowledged and turned around. Torchwick looked back out the window for Penny's gunship, only to see nothing. "Where did it go?!"

_**CRASH**_

Torchwick's gunship started plummeting into the building with the others as Penny's dropship slammed into it from above. The two bulkheads crashed on top of the other two, a huge explosion ringing out as the building finally collapsed completely.

Penny swung from another crane, doing a backflip as she landed in front of them, happily smiling all the while.

XSBR's collective mouths were agape, not a one saying a thing.

"What… was that?" Blake asked slowly.

"I don't know…" Weiss answered.

"…but it was amazing!" Ruby finished, running over and hugging Penny as the ice walls melted into water. "How did you do that?"

Penny held up her wrist, pushing back her sleeves and Ruby say what looked like thin wire, spooled just behind her covered wrists. "Reinforced carbon-fiber wire. My father gave them to me. He called them "Marionette"."

"That was rather impressive." Weiss admitted as the other three walked over, observing Penny's wire.

"Impressive nothing, she took on four gunships single-handedly and _won_." Yang said, having finally caught her breath.

"Thank you." Penny said courteously.

Ruby then looked from her to the collapsed building. "I hope no one's hurt."

The odd girl blinked for a second then looked to Ruby. "Do not worry Ruby. That is an abandoned train-station. The probability of anyone other than our aggressors suffering casualties from that are less than one percent."

An odd way to put it, Ruby thought. But at least no innocents were hurt.

"Oh, I also neglected to mention, the authorities are on their way here. I already informed them of the situation." Penny said, notifying the four.

"Well at least that's taken care of." Weiss said, looking to Blake. "Now, Blake. It's time to talk."

The ebony haired girl looked to her. "I agree."

Ruby moved to step between them and perhaps soften the blows but she felt Yang's firm hand onb her shoulder. She looked back to her sister who slowly shook her head and Ruby frowned, but respectfully gave the two their space to hash things out.

The tension between the two was palpable and Yan could feel her sisters need to mend fences, but she held firm and Ruby stayed where she was.

The heiress locked eyes with the faunus. "I'm going to ask one simple thing. I only ask you answer honestly."

Blake replied with a single nod.

"Are you White Fang?"

"No."

"I see."

Silence reigned again; Ruby could feel anxiety bubbling up within her as she gazed at the two. She turned to her sister to see what she was thinking, but Yang's face was a mask of ambivalence. So, she turned back and waited.

Finally, Weiss sighed. "What I've said… about your people… about faunus. That was not right. What I said I said out of arrogance and ignorance. I may have been raised in an environment that promoted such things, but that is no excuse, and I am sorry, both for what I said, and how it made you feel."

Ruby looked hopeful as the three turned to Blake, the elder girls all were similar grim expressions.

Blake looked down to the ground. "What I said about… about your mother, was not right either. I said terrible things out of hurt and spite. But I will not use those as excuses. Your mother was a good woman, who may have done well more for my people than I know. So, I am also sorry, for what I said, what it made you feel… and for your loss."

Weiss nodded once, then extended her hand. Blake gently took it and they shook once.

Ruby felt a wave of relief wash over her like a warm tide. "Oh, thank god, I'm so glad we can all forgive and put this all behind us."

"No."

Ruby blinked once, twice, three times. "Sorry what?"

She looked to each girl who were still locking eyes with one another, hands still locked in a handshake. She looked behind her to her sister, her face growing ever more dire. "I didn't catch that Yang, which one of them said that."

"They both did." Yang replied evenly, her gaze not breaking from the two.

Ruby turned back, the warm tide turning into ice water in less than a second. "But… but you said...!"

"I said I would hear her out and I have." The heiress replied, her gaze unwavering. "But what she said about my mother crossed a line. One that was deeply personal and meant to hurt me, and it _did_. So, no, I do _not_ forgive her."

"I feel the same." Blake replied in the same even, measured, tone. "Atlas may be more inclined to its bigotry than most nations and being part of its nobility doubtful helped anything, but even so, she talked about my people like we were nothing more than _animals_. The faunus are more than beasts, but its because of words and viewpoints like hers that we are so often treated as less than people, less than human. So, no, I do not forgive her for what she's said either."

Ruby's distress reached its peek as she looked from Blake to Weiss. "But then… where does that leave us…?"

"At a crossroads, it looks like." Yang said, finally releasing her grip and stepping forward. She gazed between the two as they held hands. "So, the way I see it, we have two options here, come together or break apart." Neither said anything and Ruby looked to her sister quizzically. "We can go our separate ways, and at the very least you two can at least be satisfied that you made your beef with one another known before you decided to never see each other again. Or…" She continued. "We can try and move forward, together, little by little, and, if, and only if, you feel the other's earned it, finally forgive if that's what you truly want."

The quiet took root, and Yang stepped back. Ruby was speechless, only watching Wiess and Blake for some sort of reaction.

Then, slowly, the atmosphere began to lift.

The grip in their handshake laxed.

Shoulders began to sag.

Serious expressions melted into ones of sorrow.

"I do… want to forgive." Blake began. "Something tells me that despite everything that's happened between you and I, you deserve a chance at that." She then shook her head sadly. "But I can't, not now, or anytime soon. I want to see that your more than what Atlas and your family has raised you to be. And then…" She trailed off.

"Nor can I forgive you right now." Weiss replied calmly. "But… I feel it too. Something telling me to give this a chance in spite of everything else." She looked to the sky. "Ozpin's given you a chance, Yang and Ruby are too." She then looked back to Blake. "So, how can I do less?"

The gave one more shake of the hand before breaking the handshake. They exchange small smiles with one another while Ruby and Yang gave hopeful smiles of their own.

"Team XSBR is back in action!" Ruby said, her hope rising.

The four's attention was suddenly caught by sirens in the distance and Ruby practically blanched as she looked back to the collapsed building. "Oh, yeah… guess we did do some property damage, huh? What do you think Pen-?" She turned around, looking for her odd-ball friends but she was nowhere in sight. "Penny?" She turned back to the others. "Where'd she go?"

* * *

Penny sat in the back of a limousine, her eyes to the floor.

"You got a lot of explaining to do young miss." Came the driver's voice.

"I know." She replied weekly.

"You father will certainly have some stern words for you on your interpretation of protocol."

Her gaze lowered even more. "I know."

* * *

Professor Ozpin sipped calmly from his bug as the reports from the docks came in. He smiled to himself as he watched the feed of one of the warehouse cameras. "Ah, finally."

He then looked towards the top of his screen, seeing he had an incoming message.

**QUEEN HAS SENT PAWNS**

**WATCH YOUR BACK**

**QORVUS**

* * *

Torchwick's eyes fluttered to life and he rolled himself out from the debris, looking back on it. The bulkheads were totaled, nothing more than scrap metal now. He looked around, seeing several of his men, those still conscious anyways coming round, his gaze fell upon his young ward and he rushed to her side immediately.

He bent down on one knee and held her, she stirred, beginning a coughing fit. "Easy Neo, easy now." He cooed. "You did great out there. Just relax, a couple things might be bruised or broken, so be careful."

She nodded her understanding and with his help slowly got to his feet.

Roman then turned to his other henchman. "Alright! Who's not dead! Sound off!"

He was met by a cacophony of groans and he shook his head disappointedly. "What a waste of time." He looked around, getting his bearings now. They were in one of the abandoned underground train stations he'd head about. A fat-cat had once tried to make it the city's new public transport, but he went bankrupt before it could ever be brought forth. These tunnels probably went on for miles, he thought. How convenient.

He then noticed something else. More of his men began to come around, only these men looked a bit different. The masks they wore looked… cleaner, better made and the uniforms… far more convincing. He snapped his fingers towards one of them. "Hey! You! Get over here!"

The one he was motioning to looked at him but said nothing.

"What are you blind and stupid?" Torchwick asked. "Help get the other guys up, we got to move!"

More of the guys started to file in from the shadows of the tunnel.

They then began to point their rifles at him.

Roman looked at them confused. "What is this? What are you doing?"

No answer.

"What did I not pay you guys well enough?! What's the deal?!" He asked louder.

One of the hurt grunts walked up next to Roman, then, shakily whispered four words.

"Those guys aren't ours."

A realization began to take root in Roman as he looked to the new men, coming towards him. "Haha… no way…" he chuckled. "You're the real deal, huh? You're the _real_ White Fang."

"Yeah." One of them said, stepping up closer. He was dressed slightly more authoritatively, his voice like gravel. "Word though the grapevine was that White Fang had been here for a while now, doing petty crime and planning something big." He held his pistol to Roman's head. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would ya?"

"They think they can use our name and get away with it?"

"Let's just kill the lot of them and be done with it!"

Agreement sounded from the mob as they closed in, only for a loud snap to draw their collective attention.

Roman watched as the crowd parted and the tunnels suddenly become eerily quiet, all except for the soft patter of heels against stone.

_**CLICK**_

_**CLICK**_

_**CLICK**_

_**CLICK**_

_**CLICK**_

Torchwick saw a hand suddenly explode with illumination as fire erupted from it.

"I think we can find some use for them."

* * *

**And that will end Volume 1.**

**So, first and foremost a big Shout out to the YouTuber Celtic Phoenix Productions on YouTube for his "Fixing RWBY" series, honestly without his guidance it would have taken me ages to come up with something this well written. If you want to know the more specific parts of how this story is different than the original I would actually point you towards his videos, specifically "Fixing RWBY – Part 3: Volume 1", please support him.**

**As for me, I will simply list the changes that I made apart from the ones he already made.**

**Firstly, Yang and Pyrrha were in the Vytal Festival two years ago. I think this adds to their story because, well, it highlights the fact even more of how prodigious these two are. Which highlights Pyrrha's feeling of being put on a pedestal more, which still works, even if she has a single friend in Yang.**

**Second, because these two have so much in common, it makes it more believable that they'd be friends. Which makes the link between XSBR and PVAR stronger because long-time friends are connecting the two teams rather than two people who barely know one another, namely Ruby and Jaune.**

**Third, and speaking of that. Neither Jaune nor Ruby are the leaders, because frankly neither of them deserves it. A weird misconception that I see about many protagonists is that it automatically qualifies them to lead. And no, no it does not, having leader qualities, qualifies you to lead. Which has also obviously and subsequently led to the naming of this series XSBR (Saber) and PVAR (Flare).**

**Fourth, and this one's probably not been obvious so far but, Nora and Ren? Yeah, they're in a relationship. I know I haven't exactly come out and said it so far, there will be time for that later, but there was no reason in my mind that people that have chemistry this good shouldn't already be dating. Again, more on that in future content.**

**Fifth, changed out Penny's weapons. Firstly, because I can't make heads or tails of those swords of hers, and secondly because If Monty could make references to children's fairy tales than why can't I? To be clear I was going for a razor wire kind of thing, think Walter from Helsing.**

**Sixth, Weiss' family dynamic is changed, but there's spoilers concerning that so for now just know it's different.**

**To respond to the one guy who reviewed the last chapter…**

**Imsabbel**

**-Even among peers there are usually leaders, if not how could people work organized together? And no, no Weiss was not, that's why she complained about Yang to Ozpin.**

**-I hope that where I left it was appropriate then.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading everyone, please tell me what you thought of Volume 1 in the reviews and stay tuned for XSBR: Volume 2.**


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